Rise of the Chosen One
by LizzeXX
Summary: Anakin/OC - From the moment Anakin was returned to the Temple instead of assigned to protect Padmé, a ripple-effect occurred. Three years have passed since and the Dark Side still calls to Anakin. Now it is left to the holder of his heart, fellow Knight, Amira-Tal, to keep him from it. But can she? Especially when it may mean breaking her oath to the Jedi? Second in the Jedi Codex.
1. The Voice of Reason

A/N: Hola :) So...this is my first attempt at a Star Wars series and is the second story in the Jedi Codex series, the first being Tipping the Balance :) I've written some other stories for TV shows and movies, but this will be my attempt at completing a series for the Star Wars movies and trying to incorporate an original character, Amira-Tal, into it. I would recommend any new readers check out the first story before reading this, a lot has changed compared to how it is in the movies and it'll help clear up why this is an Anakin/OC. I love Padmé, she is a wonderful character, a strong woman, and a brilliant leader, but I was curious to try my hand at a Jedi/Jedi paring and see if it might be at all possible to make it even slightly realistic in the context of the Jedi Universe at this point in time.

This story will be about 10 chapters long, updated daily around 2ish pm (EST), with maybe a treat of an extra chapter here or there, and based largely on the movies. I have seen all six and am very excited for the new ones to come. I currently have plans to only do Episode II and III as how I plan this series to go might require it to end here, however if we get to the end of this story and I've done a decent job keeping true to the spirit of the Star Wars universe as I hope to do, I might consider continuing later into a potentially AUish the main trilogy. I may also consider doing the Clone Wars to fill in the events from between the last story and this one, but I need to see more of the show than I have to be sure.

I offer my sincerest apologies if I write anything that is OOC or out of place, please feel free to tell me so that I can work to fix it. I know that Star Wars has some of the most loyal, serious, and amazing followers and the last thing I want to do is insult anyone or ruin anything :) This is just my attempt to explore what might have happened had a Jedi become the object of Anakin's eye instead of Padmé.

Short description of Amira, she's about a half a head shorter than Anakin, blonde hair and gray eyes with freckles along her nose. For a reference, an actress I picture to look close to how I see Amira in my head is Jessica Brooks. Amira's Master, an OC, Neeva, is a little shorter than her, with short red hair and dark eyes, I picture her to look something like a younger/shorter Susan Sarandon ;)

I hope you enjoy :)

~8~ is a scene break

Disclaimer...I don't own Star Wars...or I'd have probably tried to pay someone to create an actual C-3PO :)

~8~

The Voice of Reason

Amira-Tal sat before a large waterfall in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, a peaceful place in the Jedi Temple, one meant to increase serenity for the various Jedi that came and went and trained within the building. Her back was straight, her legs crossed, hands resting on her lap, lightly held together as she breathed deep, allowing peace to wash over her.

She had improved greatly in the last three years in terms of her skills and abilities, due in large part to the efforts of Anakin Skywalker.

And she hated it.

She didn't hate that she improved. She didn't hate that she had actually been offered a Knighthood as a Jedi. She didn't even hate that her skills could still use some improving, having been overlooked for the Trials but instead had her merit based on her efforts and hand in the Battle of Geonosis, much like Anakin had been. Both of them had been lifted to the level of Knight through their part in the battle, through their Masters offering them support and assessment to the Council.

The Council had been hesitant at first, and she understood why. Anakin, at that point, had still been a bit reckless, rash, and prideful. But his Master had sensed a change in him, a calmness and a thoughtfulness that hadn't been present in the 10 years he'd spent training the boy. He had seen, in just the few weeks after the battle, the signs that it was a permanent change in his Padawan and had offered the Council those words of reassurance that Anakin would continue to progress in consideration and forethought to his actions. Three years later had proven his Master's assessment true.

She, on the other hand, had been harder for the Council to accept, it had taken them a few weeks longer than Anakin to be Knighted. There was more to debate with her, she knew that. Anakin was very skilled in many areas of his training, he should have taken the Trials ages before then had he been less overconfident, impatient, and dangerous in his actions. She was not. She'd been fair with a saber (though Anakin would scoff at her to hear her call her skills in the one area she actually put effort to as 'fair'), but she had lacked a lot of proficiency in the other areas. Her Master, however, had offered her own reassurances to the Council for that. Neeva had cited that she was resourceful, reminding them how she'd freed herself from her restraints during the Battle of Geonosis, had claimed that her wisdom and insight was greater even than herself. She'd also remarked to them a noted improvement in her abilities, much like Anakin had improved in his personality, her aim with a pistol was getting better, her ability to manipulate the Force was growing stronger, her meditation starting to settle once more. She had promised the Council that she had full faith that her Padawan would continue to improve in those areas even if she were made a Knight.

Master Yoda had seemed to agree with her Master, which had shocked her to be honest. But he had seen her with Dooku on Geonosis, had seen her defending Anakin and Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan himself had vouched for her saber skills, had claimed he'd seen her throw Dooku into the wall with the Force so her ability to grasp it couldn't be quite as bad as was made out (it was truly horrendous how little control she'd had over the Force, Obi-Wan had no idea). Eventually the council had come to an agreement about it, about her, and she'd been bestowed the rank of Knight.

She had yet to take on a Padawan of her own though, something she was rather disappointed about, but she did understand. She had to be expected to teach her Padawan the skills he or she would need to be a Jedi, and if she couldn't utilize them herself well enough to teach them then her Padawan would suffer for it. She could protect them, yes, very well in fact, with a lightsaber, but she wouldn't have been able to teach them to Force Jump or to meditate or many other things that a Master was expected to do.

And that was why she slightly hated her situation as well. Because Anakin had helped her, for the last three years, he had been a constant presence in her life no matter how she tried to avoid him and she had, she'd gone to extremes to try and keep away from him. But he always sought her out, always. At first it had been platonic in appearance despite his confessions of love to her. He had sought her out as though it were just another normal day they'd spent without their Masters, where they'd meet up and practice different skills with each other, him with his forethought and her with connecting to the Force. He hadn't let that fall to the side just because he'd told her that he was in love with her and claimed that he knew she was in love with him as well.

He had kept to his promise not to give up on her and he hadn't.

She'd tried to tell him his promise was fulfilled after she became a Knight, that he didn't have to help her improve her skills. They'd originally promised to help each other to prepare for the Trials, but they both had been tested on different merits. But Anakin was anything if not persistent and he refused to stop their lessons until she was at his level of skill.

It was a trap, the underhanded little jerk.

No one would ever be at his level of skill and the smirk on his face when he'd told her that was the only time he'd actually stop trying to help her improve was enough for her to realize that. He had still been rather arrogant at that point. He was better now, more humble, if that was at all possible to believe, she had worked on him as much as he had on her.

She let out a breath, he HAD worked on helping her. Her Force Jumps were stronger than they had been, but she still hesitated jumping from extreme distances…unless Anakin was nearby. Her aim with a pistol had greatly improved, she could hit a target now from any distance…but she still needed to use both hands to do it, which didn't worry her badly. If she had a pistol in her hand it _would_ be because she didn't have her lightsaber and would, therefore, have both her hands free. She had improved in her meditations as well. At first she hadn't been able to calm or relax or focus, to feel safe and secure as Master Yoda had remarked once, unless Anakin was meditating with her.

She had gotten a flash, a memory of a nightmare she still had, every time she would meditate with him. It would fill her with fear and horror, make her want to jump back…but Anakin's hands in her own, holding them, his voice speaking soothingly as she fought against the feeling had beaten that response back. It was like her mind was trying to warn her away from him, to tell her THIS was the man from her nightmare, from her vision of the Younglings dead around her and Anakin standing in the shadows with his lightsaber lit. But, in another sense, her heart was telling her that Anakin was NOT that man, that the boy across from her, speaking to her and helping her, was NOT the man from the vision and that it wouldn't happen, because she wouldn't let it and the fact that the man before her wasn't the same as in the nightmare was enough for her to feel safe and reassured that it wasn't going to happen.

She could meditate on her own now, had slowly worked on weaning herself off of needing Anakin's presence to help her. But she had to do it with her hands clasped before her, as though she were trying to convince herself it was Anakin's hands she was holding.

And she hated that. She hated how much of a role he'd played in her increased skills, and she hated how dependent she was on using him as a crutch to even be able to use her skills at all even now.

She was trying, so hard, to keep away from him. For three years, she'd tried. But he was everywhere. If she wasn't on a mission or working with her former-Master, she was at the Temple, working to improve her skill to a level that the Council would accept to assign her a Padawan. And if she as at the Temple, Anakin was as well, and he always sought her out. When she first started to know him, she could sense him, she could always sense when he was near…now it seemed like he'd picked up the same trait. Wherever she was in the Temple, moments later, if Anakin were in the Temple as well, he would find her. She had tried to request missions or request assisting her former-Master on her missions whenever she knew Anakin was returning from ones of his own so she could avoid him.

But it only worked so long, for either of them.

The more she avoided him, the more he sought her out.

The more she avoided him, the more she missed him.

She didn't want to miss him, she didn't want to feel her heart constricting each time she forced herself away from him. She didn't want to feel a pull every time she saw him to be closer to him than she was.

It was even worse to know he wanted to be with her the very same way.

He'd once said that he cared for her deeply, as deeply as she cared for him. She had denied it, and she had been lying. She did care for Anakin, in the three years since he had confessed his love for her she could admit that…she…loved him too. Every single thing he had used to describe how he knew that it was love he felt for her, his words having echoed in her mind near every day since he spoke them, were exactly what she felt for him.

But she couldn't let it happen.

She couldn't, she knew she couldn't, it was too dangerous, there was too much at stake, for both of them…more so for Anakin. She had seen firsthand what his attachments to people did to him when they were in danger or harmed when she had helped him to Tatooine to see his mother and later rescue her. It would be worse with her as Jedi, she was constantly in danger, constantly in threat of getting harmed, of being struck down in a duel against the enemy, even more now that the Dark Side of the Force seemed to be growing stronger, more enemies starting to rise to the surface. She felt she knew exactly how Anakin would react if she allowed this attachment and connection to grow and she was harmed.

It was a risk she couldn't take.

She could not allow Anakin to know how she truly felt for him. She knew that he believed he already understood what she felt for him. But she had never confirmed it, not out loud, and she would not ever speak those three words to him.

If she didn't say it to him, then it wasn't real and it couldn't hurt them.

She just…had to keep it inside, she had to block him out, she had to ignore everything her body and mind and heart told her whenever he was around. She had done it for three years now, she could…she could do it for more.

Couldn't she?

She swallowed hard, taking a shaking breath as she thought on that, as she felt the doubt creep into her mind. She genuinely wasn't sure. Anakin was…determined. He was determined to be a presence in her life even if she refused to allow it to be anything more than that, than a…friendship.

She'd tried to flat out refuse him, to keep him away, to drive him away at first. But he kept coming back with that infuriatingly calm smile, like he knew something about her she didn't and was just waiting for her to realize it, that smile that told her nothing she said would drive him away. And she knew that nothing she said would. She'd told him, flat out that she didn't feel a thing for him, and he'd known it was a lie the second she said it. SHE knew it was a lie as well. No matter what she said, he wouldn't believe her that she felt nothing for him so there was no point to deny it the way she had. So she had just taken to not saying anything about it.

He had pushed her, the first few months (or year), pushed her and pushed her, fought all her efforts to get them back to a friendship. He'd allowed her to treat their relationship as merely two Padawans assisting each other, even if they'd been Knights at that point. He'd let that go on for a year, exercising more patience than she thought him capable of. But his words had been true, he wasn't going to give up on her and that had given him all the patience he needed to do what he had to to try and 'win her back.' He'd managed to weasel his way back into her life as a constant by the end of that year. And for the next he'd worked on building up their friendship again.

He'd told her that if she did not wish him to be there for her as a…lover (she'd blushed heavily at that word), then he would still be there as a friend. No matter what she was not getting rid of him, and he cared for her too much to let her just cast him aside when he knew it would hurt her to do it. It hurt more to have him there, constantly beside her, and not be able to express her still-growing feelings for him, but she bore it. Because he was right, it would hurt terrible to cast him aside and never see him again. He'd worked to get himself back beside her as a 'friend.'

But it had shifted, again in the last year, it had changed. He had been encouraged by her subtle acceptance of his friendship, of that new yet old bond between them growing stronger. She hadn't been able to deny him a friendship, try as she might to keep it just a professional companionship, it had grown beyond her control to a deep friendship of respect and trust and care. She didn't even know how it had happened! She hadn't wanted it to, but Anakin could be a sneaky devil when he wanted.

She had taught him subtlety too well it seemed.

She could feel it though, the shift he was trying to guide their relationship towards now. He would do small things now, little moments that were too intimate for just friends to share, especially intimate for Jedi to share. He would touch her hand, hold it, sometimes use an excuse of needing to show her something just to take it. He would walk closer to her than normal, his arm brushing against her own, smirking as he seemed sure she was feeling tingling shooting up her arm much like it did to his (he'd actually commented on the tingles once). He did much the same when they sat, always so close to her that they were touching and if it was at meals, sometimes his hand would drift down to touch her knee for a moment, leaving him smirking when she would jump at the sensation. Now that her Padawan braid had been removed, he would touch her hair more during their small practices that still continued, their duels and meditations together. He would brush her hair away from her, or curl a strand around a finger here or there, always claiming it was because there was a strand out of place or that he saw a bit of fuzz on her hair. His gaze would drift to her lips more often when they spoke, his voice going deeper the longer they went. And he had more 'secrets' he had to share with her, things that weren't secret at all but that he would insist she lean in for him to tell her quietly, just so he could be closer to her, so she would lean nearer to him as though she couldn't help it…

And she couldn't, and that was frustrating her to no end. She should be better than this, better than to let him get under her skin (and into her heart) the way he had. But the more she pushed him away, the more something pulled her back to him and she couldn't explain it…just hope that she could be strong enough not to let Anakin's new course of action with their friendship work. She resisted all his attempts, pulled away, put distance between them, leaned back, even took to wearing her hair in a tight bun so he couldn't touch it and yet he still found ways to do so…but it was always a second too late, always with too much reluctance pulling at her mind. She needed to do something about it, to stop it, and that was why she was there, trying to meditate, trying to come up with some solution to this that would keep her and Anakin apart…

She bit her lip hard at that, her heart was shouting at her that she truly didn't want to be apart from him, but her mind was reminding her it had to be done, for both their sakes, for both their future and safety, it had to stop.

She took a deep breath, pushing those thoughts out of her mind, focusing on her breathing, on the sound of the waterfall behind her, not thinking at all about how this had been the place she and Anakin had truly started this entire mess by agreeing to help each other improve their skills. She shook her head, casting that thought aside as well, listening to her breathing, in and out, allowing her mind to blank, feeling the Force pulsing around her. She spread out her sense, smiling slightly at how she could do that now. Three years later and she could finally reach out and sense the Force, manipulate it more than she had been. Her meditations had helped her greatly with that, now that she could actually meditate instead of being thrown out of it by fear.

Her fear had no place in her meditations, not anymore, because the thing that had caused her fear was no more, it would NOT be, she was doing this meditation exactly for the reason of preventing that vision. So the fear would not exist, she would see to that. And it had allowed her a freedom, a connection to the Force she had been struggling to find years ago.

She let her mind and heart open to the Force, allowing the warm energy to fill her, to guide her…

And gasped as she saw a vague image form in her mind, Anakin and Count Dooku, locked in a duel. She could see them fighting in her mind, the Force allowing her this vision of her, allowing her to connect and see Anakin even now…and that worried her. The Force was meant to guide them, to show them what they needed to see and push them towards their destinies, for her to see Anakin fighting, she didn't know what that meant.

"Anakin," Amira breathed, her voice starting to shake as she watched on.

In what felt like the blink of an eye, Anakin got an advantage, swinging his lightsaber out and cutting off Dooku's hand, the very same hand that she herself had managed to cut three fingers off of on Geonosis. It was enough to send the man stumbling to the floor in pain and Anakin to summon the fallen lightsaber to his other hand, crossing them at Dooku's throat as the man knelt before him.

'_Good, Anakin, good!_'

She couldn't see who had shouted that, but she knew that voice, it was the Chancellor, Palpatine. The vision was dark, as though she were looking through a fuzzy tunnel and could only make out what was happening right in the center of it, Anakin with Dooku at his mercy.

'_I knew you could do it. Kill him. Kill him now!_'

"No," she whispered as she saw Anakin just standing there, looking at Dooku intently, "Anakin don't…"

'_Do it!_'

"Please," Amira begged into the vision despite knowing Anakin wouldn't be able to hear her, "Anakin, you are better than that…" she held her breath, using what little she had left of her focus as her fear and anxiety over the vision started to increase to cling to it, needing to see what happened, what he would do…when Anakin shook his head and took a single step back.

'_It is not the Jedi way._'

She would have breathed out a sigh of relief at Anakin taking just a step back, not letting Dooku a means to escape, but clearly meaning that he was NOT going to execute the man as the Chancellor had been calling for him to do. She would have breathed out that sigh of relief at how he had stuck to the Code…had a sound of an explosion and the vision starting to shake not hit her, forcing her to open her eyes to find herself back in the Temple.

Her gray eyes snapped open, sucking in a deep breath and praying that the mere seconds' worth of image she had seen was not just a mere figment of her imagination or some twisted daydream that had hit her mid-meditation. For once she hoped it was an actual vision of what was to come or what was happening right now as she knew that Obi-Wan and Anakin had gone on a mission to rescue the Chancellor, who had been captured by Dooku. She hoped it was a vision, she hoped it had actually happened.

Because Anakin had spared the man's life, had stilled his hand and tempered his anger, had pulled himself back from the grasp of the Dark Side.

She stood, shaking her head, ignoring how her body seemed to be trembling from nerves or fear or shock, she wasn't sure. She turned and made her way out of the room, her thoughts on needing to get to the training rooms and work on her saber work, she was too full of nervous energy now, too worried about what would happen next as something had clearly exploded in her vision and she didn't know if Anakin or Obi-Wan were alright and it would consume her thoughts till she saw them next unless she did something to distract herself, and her saber always did the trick to clear her mind and make her forget what plagued her.

Well, almost always, try as she might she couldn't seem to practice or work herself enough with her lightsaber to erase the memory of the one single kiss she and Anakin had shared.

~8~

Anakin stood beside Obi-Wan and Amira's former-Master, Neeva, in the doorway of a Jedi shuttle just after it landed on Coruscant, just beside the Senate Building, watching as Chancellor Palpatine walked down the landing platform towards where a dozen or so other Senators were standing to welcome him back to safety.

Obi-Wan glanced over at Anakin, eyeing his former-Padawan a moment when the boy didn't even take a step to follow the Chancellor not that he was actually truly expecting the boy to. Anakin had…surprised him, over the last three years, ever since Geonosis he had seen a change coming from his young student, had seen him grow and mature in a way he had only hoped the boy would. Even before, when they had been working their way to the rescue of Palpatine, when they would bicker and argue about the best course of action, the tone from his former-pupil hadn't been as arrogant as it might have been had he been the same Padawan from three years ago. It was more joking, but also serious in a way where they were equals now and he was offering his opinion as a possible counter instead of a firm statement that he was right and his former-Master was wrong. He had taken to jokingly remarking that Anakin 'still had much to learn' whenever Anakin made a mistake, not to say that he thought his Padawan wasn't ready to be a Knight, but that even as a Knight there were still things to learn and mistakes happened.

But he was proud of the boy, proud of how wise he had become and how much like a true Jedi he was, "Are you not going to follow?" he asked the boy as he stood next to him, his hands clasped behind his back, just watching Palpatine greet the crowd.

"Are you?" Anakin gave him a small, knowing smirk.

"Oh no," Obi-Wan laughed, "I'm not brave enough for politics. Neeva and I have to report to the Council," he nodded over at the woman beside him. She had been tasked to guard the shuttle for their escape while he and Anakin had infiltrated the Federation Hanger to get the Chancellor out.

"But Master, this whole operation was your idea," Anakin frowned, sounding genuinely like he was trying to give his former-Master due credit, "You planned it. You led the rescue operation. You have to be the one to take the bows this time."

Obi-Wan smiled, "I may have led you into the rescue operation, Anakin, but Neeva was the one that planned the operation," he smiled at the woman.

"Then you both must take the bows," Anakin declared.

Neeva shook her head, "I'm not one for hand-shaking and posing for image captures," she waved it off, "A Jedi is to never seek praise…"

"But accept it graciously if it is given, which it is," Anakin finished for her.

"They give praise too easily," Neeva shrugged.

"Oh," Obi-Wan shook his head at that, "Some praise is deserved," he countered, "Your plan was flawless for getting us so close to the Chancellor, and you, Anakin," he turned to the young man, "You rescued me from the Buzz Droids, subdued Count Dooku, rescued the Chancellor while carrying me, unconscious, on your back, and you managed to land that bucket of bolts safely…"

Anakin shook his head, "I didn't successfully subdue Dooku," he sighed, "The explosion that shook the ship gave him enough time to escape," he reminded the man, not bothering to bring up that General Grievous, one of the Sith's greatest warriors, one with quite a few robotic parts as he'd lost many a limb in prior battles, had escaped as well.

He'd been about to knock the Count out when there had been an explosion in the ship, likely from the damage he and Obi-Wan had done trying to get through it to where the Chancellor was. Dooku had used it as the perfect opportunity to Force Throw him away, giving the man enough time to flee the room though he left the Chancellor behind. It had been a success in the sense that the Chancellor had been rescued, but a failure in that he'd let Dooku escape.

"And as for the others," Anakin continued, humble, "I only succeeded in them due to your training, Master. You deserve all those speeches of your greatness."

Obi-Wan reached out and put a hand on Anakin's shoulder, touched, "I don't believe I'm the only one responsible for your training though, am I?" he gave the boy a knowing look, his smile tightening when he saw a faint pink on Anakin's cheeks.

"My former-Padawan is exceptional with a saber," Neeva defended, "She surpassed me many years before she became a Knight," she added fondly, proudly, "It is no wonder he should seek her out for extra tips. _I _have at times," she laughed at that, making Obi-Wan smile.

Obi-Wan turned back to Anakin, "The point still stands, Anakin, that today _you_ are the hero and you deserve your glorious day with the politicians," he gestured him towards the crowd.

Anakin, however, shook his head, "With all due respect, Master, I'd just like to return to the Temple," he turned to the two of them, "My duel with Dooku, I do not believe it will be my last and I should like to be better prepared next time. If that is agreeable," he added, before smiling a little, "We could count it one debt owed down after saving your skin for the tenth time…"

"Ninth time," Obi-Wan corrected with a roll of his eyes, though he was smiling, very much appreciating his former-Padawan's respect but also his teasing, "That business on Cato Nemoidia doesn't count," but he nodded, gesturing Anakin back into the shuttle.

Anakin gave his former-Master a nod of his head and turned to head inside, feeling like he could breathe again, a smile forming on his face as he realized he would be at the Temple very soon, he would be able to see Amira again once more. He couldn't help but wonder if she worried for him, if she had wondered how he was while he'd been on the mission, if she thought about him as much as he had her…

Obi-Wan shook his head as he watched Anakin walk away, "And by 'better preparing himself' for next time…"

"He means dueling with Amira," Neeva finished with a light nod, crossing her arms.

Obi-Wan let out a sigh and glanced at Neeva, catching sight of Master Windu out of the corner of his eye speaking to Palpatine before they were to depart, before he focused on the other Knight before him, "Should we worry for them?" he asked her bluntly.

"Amira and Anakin?" Neeva clarified, "How so?"

"Surely you've noticed how much time they spend together," he began.

"I recall another set of Padawans, and later Knights, that spent just about the same amount of time together," she gave him a teasing look, reminding him of their training and how they would often practice off each other as they grew, how they still turned to each other for advice and help when needed, how they still spoke often.

"Yes, but Anakin is not me," he explained, "I did not have the trouble transitioning to our ways as he has. As, I fear, he still does. They both claim it is mere training, mere assistance to help the other improve."

"I believe Amira when she says it."

"I don't believe Anakin," Obi-Wan admitted, "Not entirely," he glanced back in the direction his former-Padawan had gone, "I do not know what to do. We are no longer their Masters, we cannot forbid them to spend the time they do with each other, they ARE training, I do believe that. But…I fear there may be more to it, growing just under the surface," he looked at her, "Do you?"

"I…do sense a strong bond between them," she begrudgingly spoke, "But I have faith in our Padawans, that we taught them well, and that they would not do something that could jeopardize their future in the Order."

"Perhaps not your Padawan," Obi-Wan let out a long breath, "Anakin, he is less reckless than he was, but…he cares for your Padawan."

"Then we should hope his care proves true," Neeva remarked simply as Obi-Wan gave her a questioning look, "If he cares for her, genuinely, as genuinely as he would have to for you to fear it, then he would not do something that would truly harm her. My Padawan would not break her Oath to the Order and your Padawan would not break her if it would cause her pain."

Obi-Wan nodded slowly at that, it did make sense. The way he saw Anakin act around Amira, the boy did care for her. He tried to believe it was just fellowship between former-Padawans and now fellow-Knights and he could see it, he could see Anakin trying to make it seem like that while Amira appeared to be trying to force it to be like that. Whatever it was that had started to form between the two, it appeared it was not growing more than what it currently was, and what it was, at the moment, was mere friendship, Amira appeared to want it to be that and Anakin appeared to be respecting that.

"He would not harm her," he agreed.

A small, traitorous voice in his head spoke up at that, even though it should mean nothing at all, that no harm could possibly come to either Amira or Anakin as what he feared was forming would never be nor ever could be under the Code, while Anakin would not harm Amira…he could only hope that Amira would not, somehow, harm Anakin in the course of this either.

A/N: I hope you liked the first chapter :) A lot's happened in 3 years, Amira's held out against Anakin's pursuit and is still trying to keep from saying what she feels for him out loud and giving him more reason to pursue her, but it's been affecting her all that time just as much as it has Anakin...I wonder if they'll be able to hold out more or for how long }:)

But Dooku is alive! Anakin didn't kill him :) I can say we'll see exactly why he didn't, what was going through his mind at that moment in a later chapter ;)

Some notes on reviews...(from the end of Tipping the Balance)...

I mentioned that the next story would be up in a few hours in the last story ;) I try to answer any questions or comments from the last story at the start of the next ;)

I can't say which side Anakin or Amira might fall on }:) But their Masters will be keeping an eye on them yup ;) As for denying her feelings...three years and counting, but Anakin is very persistent...then again, Amira is very dedicated to the Order...hmm...we'll have to wait and see }:)

Yup, this story will focus on Revenge of the Sith :)

Thank you! I'll go back and fix it :)

We'll see more of the Masters thoughts on Anakin and Amira coming up ;)

I don't think it's strange :) I felt like it was a tiny little nod to Padme in a way. She seemed to have politics in her mind for most of her life, dedicated herself to doing what was best for her people over her, much like the Jedi dedicate themselves to the Code and helping others all their lives. It was one of the reasons Padme gave to Anakin that they couldn't be together, they both had their duties...and then, when faced with the Arena, it felt a bit forgotten, to me at least, that she accepted the relationship despite her reasons for not entering it still being there and being unchanged. Amira's the same, raised all her life and dedicating it to the Jedi, I couldn't quite see her giving it up as quickly, if at all. Which may or may not be good for Anakin given how he feels about her }:)


	2. A Bad Feeling

A Bad Feeling

Anakin was quickly walking down the halls of the Temple, a small tired frown on his face. He was late for a briefing he'd been asked to attend about the sieges that had been taking place on the Outer Rim of the Galaxy. He should have been there at the start of it, but he just couldn't make himself leave where he'd been only moments ago. Amira had been with the younglings, not giving them a lesson, not like Master Yoda would, but just sitting with them while they were between lessons, going over small parts of the Code with them, testing them in a playful manner, the children so excited to be able to recite what they knew and what they were learning to another Jedi.

He had been on his way to the meeting, he really had, he may have just taken a bit of a longer way around to where he sensed her, just wanting a glimpse of her before he was going to have to sit through who knew how long a lecture about the reports on the sieges. He had fully intended to just catch a glimpse of her and go to the meeting, but seeing her there, surrounded by the children, it had left him breathless and thoughtless about anything else save the sight before him. She was beautiful, the children so absorbed in being able to spend time with another Jedi Knight, with another Knight taking interest in them, and she was equally absorbed by them.

He couldn't help but look at each of the Younglings, letting his mind wander to whether one of them might someday be her first Padawan, to what a Padawan of hers would be like, what they'd be taught. They'd be an incredible Jedi with her as their mentor, he knew that. She had made him a better Jedi just knowing her, just…befriending him. She was just wonderful, he couldn't bring himself to pull away or walk away, she was so captivating, her smile, her laugh, her every move drew him in more and more and he didn't want to miss a moment of it. He should have pulled away, his glimpse had been fulfilled, but he didn't want to, not when she was smiling so widely…

He hadn't even thought she'd known he was there she was so focused on the children, till she'd looked up and caught his eye, her smiling expression that the children had given her starting to fade away at the sight of him. He'd turned the moment her smile had started to fall and left quickly, not wanting to see that expression tainted just because of him. And so he'd headed for the meeting, his mind finally catching up to what he SHOULD be doing and reminding him he needed to be there.

It was hard, this entire situation was hard and unfair and so many other words he could probably spend a few hours and not repeat a single one. He loved her, with all his heart, he was sure of it. When he had thought he'd felt the same for Senator Amidala, it had been a stagnant emotion, the same feeling burning in him for years, never diminishing, but never growing either. For ten years with her a constant thought in his mind what he felt for her was unchanging. Some might think it should be a sign of love, he had thought the same. But now he knew that what he felt for the Senator had been a mere spark, candle to be compared to the burning of the sun such was the intensity of what he felt for Amira. It grew, what he felt for her, it grew every day, with every glimpse, with every thought, it grew so much so that it was nearly a painful throbbing in his chest when her reactions to him were less than the happy ones he wished they were.

He loved her, he knew she felt the same for him. He saw it in her eyes, the yearning and the pain. That was what made him feel that it truly was love she felt, even if she never said it out loud to him, even if she never confessed it, her eyes betrayed her. She would not feel pain such as he saw in the gray pools of her eyes if it was not for the fact that the love had caused it. They loved each other, and yet they couldn't be together, and it was agony.

But he couldn't keep away from her, to be without her…_hurt_. But to see her, to see that pain in her eyes and know that HE had caused it, even indirectly, hurt even more. She loved him, and she was hurting for it, because nothing could come of it.

According to her at least.

He was sure that there had to be some way for them to be able to be together despite the Code, despite their oaths to the Order. There HAD been Jedi in the past that had felt love for others, there had to be. There was no way possible that, in the entire history of the Order, no Jedi had ever felt as he had for Amira (well, that was slightly unfair, he was quite sure no one had loved another the way he did her). It was just that no one spoke of it so as not to encourage it happening in others. He knew there was even a Jedi on the Council right at that very moment who was MARRIED! So it WAS possible, it was just…rare, very _very_ rare…

And likely not about to happen just for him and Amira, he knew that. But he was nothing if not hopeful. He had suffered much in his life, he had nearly lost his mother, one of the most important women in his life, and after that he couldn't bear the thought of losing the only other woman that meant something to him. He couldn't lose Amira, not her presence beside him, not her trust in him, her faith, not her heart…he needed her, more than he could ever say. She made him happy, just a thought of her brought a smile to his face.

But it brought him such pain whenever she denied it, whenever she pulled away from him, whenever he saw that flash of pain in her eye that they had to live like this, distant. He didn't want to hurt her, but he couldn't turn off his emotions like that. And it had to be proof of just how powerful their love was that she couldn't turn her emotions off either, especially with having been a Youngling herself, with having been raised and trained and taught in the Order from infancy.

Amira had been the epitome of a true Padawan, was the embodiment of a Jedi with her faith in the Order and her dedication to the Code and if she felt this love for him…it had to MEAN something.

And it did, in the worst way, because she WAS a true Jedi at heart, and she wanted to keep to the Code and she refused him at every turn no matter how much it hurt her to do it. He tried not to push her. He had tried to respect her wishes, to just be a fellow Padawan (and then Knight) to her, one that just trained with her every so often. But they just fell into their friendship so easily along the way that the bond couldn't be stopped. They'd found themselves friends once more within a year of being Knighted. So he tried to keep the friendship just as it was, for her sake, no matter the pain it put his heart in to push the love he felt for her down as he had.

He didn't want to hurt her, he never did.

But he couldn't keep away from her and…he knew she didn't want to stay away from him, she didn't want to cut him out of her life anymore than he did her. They both drifted to each other without realizing it at times. He found himself walking closer to her, wanting to touch her, growing nearer to her without even realizing the was doing it, it just felt so…natural to him, to be that way with her. He tried to pull back, he WAS trying, but it was hard and it was taking so much out of him.

He closed his eyes and shook his head, a small voice in his mind remarking that if it hadn't been for the Code, for the Order, for how set in their ways they were that they wouldn't even consider other options…he and Amira could be together.

If it weren't for the Order…

He opened his eyes, letting out a hard breath, thinking like that would get him nowhere. He ought not curse the Code for his predicament, the Code was something Amira put all her faith in and he would respect it for her if no one else. He just wished it could be different, the pain was almost unbearable at times, like when something went wrong or when she was upset and all he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and hold her, protect her…but he couldn't and the times he'd been able to, the times she had sunk against him and let him cocoon her in his embrace, all too soon she would realize what was happening and pull away.

He wasn't sure how much more he could take of this pain without doing something as reckless as his Master had once thought him to be. It had been three years and he could feel the restraints on his will weakening, his control waning, though, to be fair, it often felt like that when it was Amira on his mind. He was weaker and stronger when it came to her and all he could do was try to be strong for the both of them.

He was almost glad, he thought, as he reached the Briefing room where the other Jedi were filing out already, that Amira had refused to give any indication of her feelings for him verbally. He wasn't sure if it would be a blessing or a curse to know with that much certainty how she felt, whether it would shatter him or empower him to know the extent of her love for him.

He looked up, focusing on the present only when he stepped into the briefing room to see only Obi-Wan was left in there, shutting off some holograms and charts and maps, "You missed the report on the Outer Rim sieges," the man remarked.

Anakin nodded, bowing his head slightly, "I'm sorry, I was held up. I have no excuse."

Obi-Wan gave him a reassuring smile, "In short, they are going very well. Saleucami has fallen, and Master Vos has moved his troops to Boz Pity."

"What's wrong then?" Anakin frowned, sensing something was wearing on his former-Master.

"The Senate is expected to vote more executive powers to the Chancellor today."

"Well, that can only mean less deliberating and more action," he reasoned slowly, "Is that bad?" he asked after a moment, recalling a few remarks the man had made about the Chancellor and how little he trusted him due to being a politician, "It will make it easier for us to end this war."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan hesitated, "Be careful of your friend Palpatine."

"Be careful of what?"

"He has requested your presence."

Anakin blinked at that, "What for?"

"He would not say," Obi-Wan shook his head.

"He didn't inform the Jedi Council? That's unusual, isn't it?"

He nodded, "All of this is unusual, and it's making me feel uneasy. You're probably aware that relations between the Council and the Chancellor are stressed?"

"I know the Council has grown wary of the Chancellor's power," Anakin remarked carefully, "But aren't we all working together to save the Republic? Why all this distrust?"

"The Force grows dark, Anakin," Obi-Wan warned, "And we are all affected by it. Be wary of your feelings," he turned off the last hologram, "He has requested you as soon as you are able to speak with him."

Anakin nodded, "Has he made any prohibitations?"

"Such as?"

"If I might have another accompany me," Anakin explained.

"Who would you request?" Obi-Wan inquired, "There are…some Jedi I am sure the Chancellor would refused to entertain even with you there," Master Yoda, Master Windu, himself, an quite a few others came to mind.

"I would like to request Amira join me," Anakin stated, straightening his back, his chin lifting slightly.

Obi-Wan was silent a long while, contemplating that, not just if the Chancellor would allow it, but if it was wise to allow his former-Padawan to do so. He had no say over the boy, not truly, but Anakin would listen to him in this if he said Palpatine wouldn't wish Amira there. He…was torn in this. He was sure it was not the best thing to allow Anakin and Amira all that time alone away from the Temple given his concerns about the 'friendship' they shared, even though Neeva had reassured him it was just that. He didn't want to be seen as encouraging Anakin by allowing Amira to go with him.

But at the same time…Anakin listened to her. He had seen evidence of it many times over the last few years. Anakin took her advice seriously, he trusted her judgment, and Amira was…wise, unbiased as far as he could tell. She was polite and diplomatic and, from what Neeva had told him of training her, had never given her former-Master or the Order cause to fear her behavior around others in a way that would besmirch the rank of Jedi Knight. Allowing Amira to go with him might mean that his former-Padawan would be more wary and careful around the Chancellor and Amira was perceptive, having another person there to keep Anakin on his best behavior might be a benefit to the Order as a whole.

"I think that would be acceptable," he offered Anakin.

And prayed with all his might he hadn't made a mistake.

~8~

"I don't see why you thought I would be needed, Skywalker," Amira murmured as she and Anakin stood in the elevator of the Senate, taking it up to the Chancellor's office, her hands clasped behind her back as Anakin's hung beside him.

"You know why," he countered, staring ahead of him, "Any chance I can find to spend time with you, alone, Mira, I will take."

Amira only just barely managed to keep her lips from quirking into a small at 'Mira,' a small thing Anakin had taken to calling her. It was just her name with one less letter, he was hardly the first to do it, but when it came from him, in such a casual setting, so easily, she had to fight not to react to it, to how it sounded coming from him.

"You shouldn't," she warned him.

"Then you shouldn't have accepted," he started to smile, "You might give me ideas that you're reconsidering…"

"I'm not," she cut in quickly, trying to force her voice neutral, though she knew it HAD been a mistake to accept the mission with him, "You asked me while I was speaking to my Master," she still called Neeva her Master despite no longer being a Padawan, "I couldn't turn down a mission without looking disrespectful of a fellow Jedi."

"Really?" he hummed, "I didn't know that."

She rolled her eyes and elbowed him, "You did, and that's exactly why you waited till then to ask me."

He shrugged at that, "Perhaps."

"Don't do it again, Anakin," she spoke after a moment, her voice quiet, almost pleading, "Please."

"Mira…" he looked at her, hearing a tiredness in her voice that he had been feeling in his heart the last few months, both of them were so tired of fighting what was between them, him for her and her against it, but neither was going to let go of it.

"It is against the Code," was all she said, "It cannot be."

He didn't even have a chance to open his mouth, to counter that with the one reply he had thought of in the last few months would force her to finally declare her true feelings for him, when the elevator doors opened, allowing them into Palpatine's office, the man himself standing at a vast window and overlooking the city before him. Anakin took a breath and looked at Amira, who was frowning and seemed reluctant to move.

"What is it?" he frowned at her expression, there was a hint of panic in her eyes, her face slightly paler than it had been moments before.

She quickly schooled it to a more neutral one, swallowing hard, "Nothing," she stepped out of the elevator.

"If you're nervous about meeting the Chancellor," he began, knowing this was her first time meeting the man in person, "Don't be. He's just a man."

"I doubt that," she murmured to herself, too low for Anakin to hear as they approached the Chancellor's desk.

"Anakin!" the man grinned as he turned, his expression showing shock for a moment, Amira's eyes narrowing as she caught the briefest flashes of anger directed at her, before a mask came down of happiness as he approached Anakin, "Good to see you again," he reached out to shake Anakin's hand, "And who is this elegant lady?"

"Chancellor, this is Amira-Tal," Anakin introduced, "A fellow Jedi Knight."

It was all Amira to do not to gasp when Palpatine took her hand to press a chaste kiss to the back of it, it was all she could do to keep from snatching her hand away and grabbing Anakin and dragging him away. What she'd just felt from the man just touching her hand…she shook her head, forcing out a simple, "It's an honor," to him, thankful her voice hadn't shook or taken on a hard edge.

"The honor is all mine," Palpatine smiled, straightening, "It is a special privilege for me to meet anyone that Anakin here deems worthy."

Amira gave a tense nod at that, something that Anakin noticed but said nothing about, for which she was thankful.

"You requested my presences, Chancellor?" Anakin tried to get them back on topic.

"Ah yes," Palpatine stepped back towards his desk, moving to sit in it, gesturing for them to sit, watching them intently when they both remained standing instead…noting how Anakin's gaze had flickered to Amira for a moment as though following her lead, "Anakin," he sighed, "This afternoon the Senate is going to call on me to take direct control of the Jedi Council."

"The Jedi will no longer report to the Senate?" Anakin blinked, startled.

"They will report to me," he nodded, "Personally. The Senate is too unfocused to conduct a war. This will bring a quick end to things."

"I agree, but the Jedi Council may not see it that way."

"There are times when we must all endure adjustments to the constitution in the name of security."

"With all due respect, Chancellor," Amira spoke, knowing that there was a reason she was being ignored by the man as he so focused on Anakin, knowing she should remain silent and merely observe what was happening, the years as a Padawan had made it hard for her to speak without being spoken to first, but to hear this man speak so easily about taking over the Council was unsettling, "Is this not an unnecessary constitutional amendment? What purpose could possibly be served from having such say over a handful of Jedi?" their numbers had steadily been decreasing, everyone knew it, it had been the reason the Clone Army had been created in the first place, there were too few Jedi to effectively maintain the peace any longer.

"Oh it very much is," Palpatine sighed, seeming to agree with her, but he shrugged easily after, "But in this case I have no choice, this war must be won."

"Everyone will agree on that," Anakin glanced at Amira for that, it was a general statement.

She begrudgingly nodded, "No one wants the war ended more than the Jedi do."

Palpatine smiled at that, "That is why I wished to speak to you, Anakin," he called the boy's attention back to himself, "I've known you since you were a small boy. I have advised you over the years when I could, and I am very proud of your accomplishments. You have won many battles the Jedi Council thought were lost and you saved my life. I hope you trust me, Anakin…"

Palpatine's smile tensed when Anakin didn't immediately say that he did.

"Trust is an indicator of loyalty," Anakin began, Palpatine's eyes flickering when he saw yet another glance from the boy towards Amira, one that ended up not being a glance at all but more Anakin holding her gaze, "And a Jedi is, first and foremost, a Jedi, promised to follow the will of the Force above all others," if he emphasized 'will of the Force' Amira said nothing about it.

Palpatine watched in growing internal interest as Anakin kept his eyes on Amira for only a split second longer before the boy looked back at him, "I have appreciated your advice in the past, Chancellor," he continued, "As you have helped me, I would help you, if I could."

"I am glad you say that," Palpatine's smile was back on his face, making Amira frown, he sounded…a little too pleased by Anakin's words, "I fear the Jedi Council," he admitted, "They keep pushing for more control. They're shrouded in secrecy and obsessed with maintaining their autonomy, their ideals. Something I find simply incomprehensible in a democracy."

"I can assure you, Chancellor, that the Jedi are dedicated to the values of the Republic," Amira spoke up, moving closer to Anakin, feeling a need to stand beside him as he faced the man, something inside her pushing her to do so, to let the man know that Anakin was not alone here.

"Nevertheless, their actions will speak more loudly than their words," Palpatine gave a bow of his head, "I'm depending on you, Anakin."

"For what?" Anakin frowned, shaking his head, "I don't understand."

"To be the eyes, ears, and voice of the Republic," Palpatine leaned forward, bracing his elbows on the desk, "Anakin, I'm appointing you to be my personal representative on the Jedi Council."

Anakin's eyes widened, "Me?!" he glanced at Amira for that, not seeing Palpatine watching him intently.

"A Jedi is forbidden to take political appointments or accept gifts," Amira replied, looking at Palpatine, subtly telling Anakin that that was exactly what this was.

Not only was it the Chancellor appointing Anakin in a political move, but…to do so would also be counted as a gift. Only a Master could sit on the Council and this appointment would either be rejected as he was not a Master or would force him to be named one.

"I am honored, sir," Anakin looked back at the Chancellor as well, "But I cannot accept that role. I have not accomplished all that a Jedi Knight must before being honored with the title of 'Master.'"

"You would be bestowed it now," Palpatine enticed, "They would _have _to make you a Master to sit on their Council, would they not? You have done _so much_ for them in the last there years Anakin, do you not deserve to have that title?"

"With respect, sir," Anakin's voice grew harder, seeming to startle Palpatine, "I would _earn_ my title first before allowing it to be gifted to me. I would not have special treatment to me alone."

Palpatine's gaze flickered down to Anakin's hand as it lightly took Amira's, the long sleeves of their Jedi robes nearly blocking it had he not been so attuned as to see Anakin move his hand.

"If I am to become a Master, it would be because I have done what was needed to become one," Anakin nodded, seeming determined that that was how he felt, he had become a Padawan and accepted into the Order on special treatment, he was ashamed to admit he had once thought he should have been a Knight earlier than he was because he'd thought himself just as special and deserving of the title. Till someone very special, with more sense than he had, set him right and, from that point on, he wanted to earn things on his own merit, "I would be a Master in my heart first than to be a Master through default."

"I understand," Palpatine said slowly, nodding, "You do not have to accept the title of Master, however I would still request you take my place among the Council," he held up a hand to keep Anakin speaking about it, "I cannot run the Senate and the Council at the same time, and this is more burden put on me than I can handle," he made his voice sound old and weary at that, "It would help an old man if you could assist in this, Anakin."

Anakin sighed but nodded, "If the Council accepts your placement, then I shall," it was diplomatic, not accepting it, not promising to do it, but leaving it to the Council to determine. If they allowed it, then it couldn't be as much a political assignment as he feared it might be, if they did not then it was beyond his control.

"Thank you, Anakin," Palpatine smiled.

Anakin gave a nod of the head, half a bow, as did Amira, before the two turned and headed back to the elevator.

Palpatine watched, amused, as the two hardly seemed to realize he was watching them as they entered the small compartment. But he could see it clearly, the way Anakin turned to the girl beside him, the way he searched her eyes and expression, the way he smiled widely when the girl gave him a proud look before the doors shut behind them.

Perhaps not all was lost after all…

~8~

Anakin stood before the Jedi Council in the middle of the room, surrounded quite a number of Jedi, including Master Windu, Master Yoda, and Obi-Wan with holograms of other Jedi there as well. Amira stood back, at the end of the chamber, behind Anakin, across from the Masters, having been requested to attend by Master Yoda himself as she had been privy to the information Anakin was giving to the Council and had been speaking with Yoda before the meeting began about her account of how the meeting with Palpatine had gone.

"Anakin Skywalker," Master Windu began, "We have approved your appointment to the Council as the Chancellor's personal representative."

Anakin bowed his head respectfully at that, "I will do my best to uphold the principles of the Jedi Order."

"Allow this appointment lightly, the Council does not," Master Yoda warned, "Disturbing is this move by Chancellor Palpatine."

"I understand."

"You are on this Council, but we do not grant you the rank of Master," Windu added.

"Nor would I accept it if you had, Master," Anakin agreed, inwardly smirking at how a handful of Jedi on the Council seemed surprised by his easy acceptance of such a thing. He had kept mostly to himself, his Master, his missions, and Amira for quite some time, had had little contact with a majority of the Council on such a recurrent basis for them to realize he was not the arrogant little Padawan he used to be but was now trying to be a proper Jedi, wise and patient and humble. And, if his actions and his reactions to this earned him a smile and a proud look from Amira, that was an extra incentive, "I would only accept if I had earned the position, Masters."

Yoda gave a brief smile at that, no one seeing his gaze flicker quickly to Amira as she smiled at Anakin for his words, before he focused on the young Knight again.

"Then take a seat, young Skywalker," Windu gestured to one of the seats for Anakin to join them, moving to do as Windu had instructed.

"We have surveyed all systems in the Republic," one of the holograms spoke, an alien that appeared quite pale with an almost cone-like head and white beard, Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, "We have found no sign of General Grievous nor of Count Dooku."

"Hiding in the Outer Rim, Grievous and Dooku may be," Yoda sighed, "The outlying systems, you must sweep."

"It may take some time," Obi-Wan hesitated, "We do not have many ships to spare."

"We cannot take ships from the front line," Windu agreed.

"And yet, it would be fatal for us to allow the droid armies to regroup."

"Master Kenobi, our spies contact, you must, and then wait," Yoda instructed.

"What about the droid attack on the Wookiees?" Ki-Adi-Mundi frowned.

"It is critical we send an attack group there, immediately!" Windu shouted.

"He's right," Obi-Wan agreed, "That is a system we cannot afford to lose. It's the main navigation route for the southwestern quadrant."

"I know that system well," Anakin offered, "It would take us little time to drive the droids off that planet."

But Windu shook his head, "Skywalker, your assignment is here with the Chancellor, and Kenobi must find General Grievous."

Amira glanced at Anakin for that, biting her lip so as not to say anything before the Council about Master Windu's appointment.

"Go, I will," Yoda offered, "Good relations with the Wookiees, I have."

"It is settled then," Windu nodded, "Yoda will take a battalion of clones to reinforce the Wookiees on Kashyyyk. May the Force be with us all."

Amira looked over at Master Yoda as the meeting drew to a close, catching his eye as he gave her a meaningful look before nodding quickly and moved out the doors first, waiting in the corridor just beyond, bowing her head each time one of the other Masters departed, till Anakin stepped out.

Obi-Wan frowned, watching as Amira grabbed Anakin's hand and pulled him down the hall. He moved to take a step to follow, when a voice called out to him, "Let him go, you must," Yoda spoke, making him look down at the green alien.

"Master?"

Yoda watched the two Knights disappear around a corner, "Concerns, she has," he murmured, frowning himself, "A request, I have given her, to give to him. Listen to her, he will," he sighed, thinking on why he had asked HER to do so. He could still recall a small shift in the Force from years ago, when Anakin and Amira had gone to Tatooine, how much pain and death had been on the cusp of forming before it was pulled back...by Amira. He had felt it then, the Force shifting around him, Anakin's fate shifting, how it had settled to rest around Amira. If that shift held true now, then Amira might be the only one that could get Anakin to agree to his request. There was just one small issue, "In disagreement with Master Windu's plan, she is though," Amira was not happy with the request at all.

"Why?"

Yoda looked up at Obi-Wan a moment, "Fears for your Padawan, she does. Stronger, the Dark Side is growing. Careful, we must all be. Your Padawan more than most."

Obi-Wan frowned at that, looking back down the hall even as Master Yoda turned and moved in the opposite direction, more questions than ever racing through his mind. But…if Master Yoda, the wisest of them all, told him to allow Amira to speak to Anakin…then he should allow it.

So he let out a small breath and turned, moving to make his way to prepare for his own mission, leaving the two Jedi to speak amongst themselves.

~8~

"'Mira," Anakin tugged Amira back by the hand she was holding the moment they were far enough away from the Council, pulling her back to a small alcove in the hall, taking her other hand in his free hand as he looked at her in concern, "What is it?" he frowned, seeing an expression he'd never seen on her face before.

"I…" she bit her lip, trying to think of how to phrase what was running through her mind.

"What?" he tried to smile at her, his thumb stroking over the back of her hands, wanting to reassure her, encourage her to speak to him.

"I have something to ask you, Anakin," she began, "And…I know I have no right to ask it, but…"

"Just ask," he squeezed her hands, "I would do anything for you," he swore to her, "You need just ask."

She let out a breath at that, both struck in the heart by his words, the utter promise in them, and wishing he'd not make such remarks to her, "Be wary of the Chancellor," she spoke quietly, her voice dropping as though she didn't want anyone to hear her.

"What?" he frowned at that.

"Be careful around him Anakin," she voice took a slightly pleading note, "Please, _for me_," she added, knowing she really had absolutely NO right to ask that of him after all the times she tried to push him away and deny there was anything between them, but this was too important and she NEEDED him to do this, "Be cautious when you deal with him."

"Amira," he looked at her closely, "Where is this coming from?"

"A Jedi's loyalty must be to the Order," she began, "This appointment puts you in a tense position."

"My loyalties are _not_ divided," he told her, understanding what her concern was, "It lies with the Order and, even if it didn't," he let go of one of her hands to touch her cheek, "It would lie with _you_, and you stand with the Order," he tilted his head, taking heart in how she hadn't pushed his hand from her cheek, yet, and he was going to take whatever he could get, "I _will_ be cautious," he promised, "Because you asked me to."

Amira let out a breath at that, closing her eyes in relief, unable to help how her lips quirked up when she felt him rest his forehead to hers. It was a moment she shouldn't allow, she _really_ shouldn't. She could try to convince herself that it was for a foul purpose, that she was using all she could to make sure Anakin would be careful without her there, that she was going so far as to manipulate him with allowing the touches and this moment…but she would be lying to say she wasn't craving it herself, as dangerous as that was to admit even to herself.

And it was, very dangerous, and she needed to focus, because there was more to what she was asking than just that, more that she had to ask of him, so she forced herself to pull away, reaching up to take his hand off her cheek but…not letting go of it just yet.

"Master Yoda spoke to me before the meeting," she continued, Anakin frowning as her voice began to take on a formal quality, at how she had started to stare at his chin instead of his eyes, like she was reluctant to say what she was about to, "The Council, Anakin, the Chancellor could have forced them to accept you, he controls them now. They shouldn't have accepted you on without you being a Master and you know it, yes?"

"Yes," he nodded, not sure where this was going.

"They accepted you…because the Chancellor trusts you," she told him, "The Council wants you to report on all of the Chancellor's dealings. They want to know what he's up to."

Anakin's frown deepened at that, "They want me to spy on the Chancellor?"

"_I_ would ask you to spy on him as well," she swallowed hard.

"What?" he breathed.

"There is something wrong here, Anakin," she admitted to him quietly, the concern and fear in her voice making him pause, "I have a _bad_ feeling about this. There is something happening to the Senate and…I fear the Chancellor is in the middle of it."

"That doesn't mean he's the _cause_ of it," he argued, though his voice held no anger, more a logical counter.

"Then investigate," she offered, "Prove him innocent if you wish, but be prepared to find he MAY be guilty," she looked at him, unable to pull herself away from his eyes, unable to stop herself from touching his cheek, "I just...have a bad feeling about the Chancellor," she nearly whispered, "And I do not want anything bad to happen to YOU because of him. So please, Anakin, _please_, whatever you do, spy or not, just…_be careful_. Please."

He managed a small smile at that, not agreeing or disagreeing to do as she asked in regards to spying on the Chancellor, "You're worried for me," he could tell, she'd called him Anakin instead of Skywalker.

She swallowed hard, "I always worry for you."

He leaned in quickly, before she could react, and pressed a brief kiss to her lips, not daring to hope for more, not willing to risk it lingering and her pushing him away, not sure if he could take it, so he spoke the moment he pulled back himself, not allowing her to get a word in, "Then I will be careful," he swore, "And I will keep my senses open," he added, subtly telling her that he might…he MIGHT just spy on the Chancellor, for her.

Anything for her.

He pulled her hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to them as well, needing to test his luck and get just one more moment in with her, before he turned and left the alcove, moving down the hall, quick to get to his assignment.

Amira closed her eyes and let out a breath, sliding down the wall of the alcove and pressing her hands to her face, her heart racing, her mind berating herself for allowing that to happen, chastising her for letting him pull her into such an intimate and close space, scolding her body for reacting as it had to him as though she had no will of her own. She should have pulled away, she had in the past, she should have pushed him away, stopped him, stopped it…but she hadn't, the thought of him going to Palpatine, being subjected to the man after what she'd felt off of him, it made her heart hurt and concern fill it. She should have stopped it, but she realized all too late that she didn't have the strength to stop it that time and it made her fear, if she couldn't stop it this time…would it be the same when Anakin returned?

Oh this was not good at all.

A/N: I'm so sorry this is late :( I put a note on my tumblr in case we lost power during some snow we were supposed to get that it might be late. I woke up to like 8 inches of snow instead of 2 feet...and the power out. I don't even know how it happened, like it wasn't even that bad a storm, but the power just came on a few minutes ago, and I was like 'to the computer!' lol :)

As for this chapter...as Anakin isn't with Padme here and she's not pregnant, nor is Amira, there's no nightmares to drive Anakin on or for others to prey on. However, I could see certain people being observant of Anakin's affection for Amira at times, I feel like the Jedi can be slightly shortsighted in a way, similar to Neeva in the last chapter, they're so set to follow the Code and expect other Jedi to do it too that they almost blind themselves to when someone is near straying from it, there were quite a few moments in the last movie where the Council remarks that they didn't realize something was happening till it was almost too late. Obi-Wan and Neeva especially don't want to see something like that forming between their Padawans and would try to convince themselves it just can't be. I feel like Anakin might be more obvious in his affections than he realizes, it's just who's looking and who notices what }:)

Poor Amira, she was definitely shaken from her meeting with Palpatine, I don't think she'd have let Anakin get that close if she wasn't so worried about him being alone with the man as a result of it ;) I hope Anakin was believable in agreeing to maybe spy, I could sort of see him, in his 'I love you' stage, to want to do what he thinks would make Amira happy, and if she asked him to, he might actually consider spying. If he actually WILL is another question }:)

Some notes on reviews...

I hope you liked the second kiss ;) It was short, but at least Anakin managed to steal one from her after 3 years :)

I have a fairly good idea what side he'll end up on, I just don't want to spoil it ;) But that is a very interesting way to spin it ;)

We'll see more of Obi-Wan's thoughts, and some of Neeva's as well ;) Anakin and Amira probably won't communicate telepathically, Amira will always have a bit of trouble connecting to the Force. It sort of hits her randomly or at moments of intense emotion, so it'll always be a bit wobbly for her :)

Tiny mention in this chapter about why the Code isn't coming to the forefront of Anakin's mind in all this. There IS a married Jedi on the Council, there ARE exceptions made in the most rare of circumstances and Anakin might have the tiniest hope that, somehow, he and Amira might qualify for an exception IF he can actually get her to admit she loves him that much lol :)

Oh there'll be more to their relationship than just one chapter yup ;) And people finding out about it before then as well too ;)

Dooku will very much come back to haunt Anakin yup }:) We'll have to wait and see how though ;)

Ahsoka will actually be mentioned in the story as Anakin's Padawan, but not for a few more chapters, she will be brought up though ;)

Anakin's definitely trying to balance love and duty, he might actually be able to do more of both if they could just merge or if he could be allowed both lol :) I can say Amira's teaching to honor and respect and protect life, even against their enemies, had a big hand in Anakin not executing Dooku, I can also say there's a tiny bit more to it than that as well ;) That's a lovely quote :) It reminds me of the Bible quote they often use at weddings, that love is patient and kind and not jealous and more :) I can say we'll get a mention and a few thoughts on Ahsoka later in the story ;)

We'll see a bit more of Windu yup ;)

(to answer another review from Tipping the Balance that I missed due to posting times) Yup, Anakin has both his arms here, in an ironic twist, it's now Dooku that needs a robotic replacement ;)


	3. Temptations of the Dark

Temptations of the Dark

Anakin stood before the Galaxies Opera House on Coruscant, looking up at the vast building illuminating the night around him. He had been informed that the Chancellor was going to be taking in a performance there and, as the Council had assigned him to guard the Chancellor (perhaps even spy on the man), it was his duty to accompany and watch over the man, more often in the more public places. With so many people there and so many halls and entrances and exits, it would be only too easy for someone that might mean to end the Chancellor to sneak upon him. There was less danger in the man's actual office in the Senate, but this was different, so this required him being there.

He hesitated though in entering, trying to still his thoughts and calm his mind. He felt…torn, as much as he had promised Amira that his loyalties were to the Jedi (to her), he could admit that he did not feel comfortable with this situation at all. The Chancellor…he was a good man, had given him some lessons in politics, been something of a confidant a time or two. He might even consider them friends, and now he was expected to spy on the man and report back on him. He didn't like that thought of doing something so underhanded to a man he considered a friend.

But at the same time, he COULD understand the necessity of it and why it was on HIM to do so. He did appear to have a better relationship with the Chancellor than the other Jedi did, his appointment on the Council at Palpatine's request was proof enough of that. He could understand why the Council would think him to be their best option at watching the Chancellor, but he didn't like it.

And, if he were being entirely honest, he didn't like that Amira had asked him to spy as well. No, that wasn't entirely true either, she hadn't actually asked him to do it, merely relayed a message from the Council and told him she agreed with it. That was another thing that bothered him about all of this. He felt like he could trust the Chancellor, he had done much for him over the years, helped him and guided him. He wanted to trust that there was nothing that the man was doing wrong with the Republic.

He also trusted Amira though, and he could see it in her eyes, there was something about the Chancellor that disturbed her. He'd seen her reactions to him in the man's office, he'd seen how closed off she'd gotten, how overly formal she'd spoken, how tense she'd been. It had unsettled him that she felt so ill at ease around a man that he considered an ally. And yet, at the same time, he felt another emotion rising up…against the Chancellor. He didn't want Amira to ever be scared or worried or on edge about something, he wanted her calm and happy always (as impossible as that may be, he knew). She sensed something about the man that he didn't, he knew that.

It was a hard blow to take, that realization, to think that he might have blinded himself to another just through good thoughts on them. He trusted the Chancellor, he wanted to defend the man, he didn't sense anything back because of that. But Amira, who had never met the man, who had never spent the time HE had around him…she felt something VERY wrong off of him. She would not have asked him to be wary or cautious around the Chancellor if she hadn't. And that worried him, what did SHE sense that he couldn't? He had clearly spent too long around the man if his senses were dulled to that, and he trusted Amira. She had made him realize, time and again, that new perspectives were essential and to never cast off instinct. He had trusted her numerous times in the past to see something he couldn't, just as she had him. They had both seen potential in the other, they had both seen faults to work on. She had gotten through to him about so many things his own Master had tried to in ways he hadn't expected. Trying to understand things from the point of view of a Padawan instead of a Jedi had helped him enormously in overcoming the arrogance that had grown in him, the rashness and recklessness had been dimmed too, through knowing her.

Amira saw things in a way he didn't, just as he saw things in ways she couldn't as well. If she sensed something off about the Chancellor, enough to pull him down a hall and beg him to be careful…he would. He would trust that there was something he couldn't quite see that he had to step lightly around.

He had to smile a bit in thought, slowly starting to make his way into the Opera house, he'd gotten a kiss out of her. It was small and quick and brief but…just as powerful as he could remember their first being, just as intense. It was another testament to just how shaken she had been by the Chancellor and his assignment that she'd let it happen, that she hadn't sensed it coming and stopped him. She hadn't stopped him quite a bit their last moment together. He'd gotten to hold her hand, touch her face, kiss her, and she'd let him. And her eyes, they had been filled with such concern and care for him he'd been so tempted in that moment to try and get her to admit that she did love him as he knew she did, just from the look in her eyes, but that concern had been what stilled his tongue in the end. She was truly fearful for him, truly upset about the Chancellor.

He had promised himself once, so long ago, that he would never give her cause to fear, that he would always protect her and keep her safe. And that had extended to keeping himself safe, for her, to rein in his recklessness so as to help her. On Geonosis, Obi-Wan had instructed them both to get to Dooku's control panel and see where he was going, what he was doing, stop the ship from powering up…but Amira had gotten distracted. Both his Master and hers had assumed that it was the fact that they'd just come from a slaughter of Jedi, that they had been tired and tied up and in battle and with all that adrenaline rushing it was hard to focus before she'd left the controls to face Dooku herself.

He knew differently, it was as though he could sense her eyes on him during his fight, every time she looked over at him, he could feel a rush of warmth and strength through him, as though the Force were trying to tell him he was protected. And he had been, the moment he'd been knocked out, Amira had been there to keep him safe. But he knew that she had been distracted by him and his duel, her fear for his life and safety had kept pulling her attention over to him. She had felt like such a failure to the Order afterwards, that she hadn't managed to do as Obi-Wan instructed and stop Dooku or get any useful information from his controls, that he'd promised himself he would never put her in a position like that again, where she had to fear for him. He had been far more arrogant and rash then, overconfident in his abilities, and Amira knew that. It had been one reason she had continued to look over at him.

He had striven since then to work on both faults in himself, so that she would never have to fear that when he was away from her that he would do something that could get himself killed or injured. He didn't want her to be distracted, he didn't want HER to make a mistake in her distraction for him that SHE got injured. So he had done all he could over the last three years to try and build up her confidence in him, to make others see that he would think things through first. And if that meant going into this Opera house and trying to keep himself distanced from the Chancellor, he would, he would put his friendship with the man as far from his mind as he could and treat him as a Jedi would treat the one they were assigned to protect, from a distance and without interruption, only observing and not getting involved unless needed. He would do that to his friendship, turn it into a mere assignment if that was what it took.

The Chancellor was a friend, but Amira was so much more than that.

He walked through a hallway towards a box at the end of it, stepping through to see the Chancellor engrossed in the performance, a ballet of sorts, the aliens participating in it appearing to be quite squid-like, which was understandable as the ballet in question was 'Squid Lake.' There were two others with him, though he seemed to pay little attention to them.

"You wanted to see me, Chancellor," Anakin called quietly, not wanting to disrupt but wanting to know why the man had requested him. His detail of the man was not meant to start till the next morning but he'd gotten a request to start that night and he hadn't known why.

Palpatine turned in his chair, grinning when he saw Anakin behind him, "Yes, Anakin! Come closer," he eagerly gestured Anakin towards his chair, "I have good news. Our Clone Intelligence Units have discovered the location of General Grievous! He is hiding in the Utapau system."

Anakin smiled at that, relieved and pleased with the news, "At last, we'll be able to capture that monster and end this war."

"I would worry about the collective wisdom of the Council if they didn't select you for this assignment," Palpatine remarked.

Anakin felt his smile slowly fall but kept his face neutral, "The Council is very wise, Chancellor," he remarked, "I am sure they will select those best for the mission to see it through."

"Oh but surely YOU are the best choice by far," Palpatine countered, only to let out a weary sigh a moment later, "But they can't always be trusted to do the right thing."

"They try," he defended.

Palpatine eyed him a moment before gesturing the seat beside him, "Sit down, please," he twisted in his chair to his two aides, "Leave us."

Anakin watched the two step out of the box, leaving just him and the Chancellor alone, "Chancellor…"

"Please, Anakin, sit," Palpatine turned to him.

"I am on duty, sir," he shook his head, "We are not to…"

"Oh posh," Palpatine waved his hand with a laugh, "I didn't request your assignment this night, I merely requested your presence, so I might tell you the good news of Grievous, now sit," he gestured at the chair again.

Anakin hesitated a moment, glancing at where the two aides had disappeared through before sitting down next to Palpatine, "I will be sure to inform the Council of your information, Chancellor. I am sure they will be grateful."

"Speaking of the Council," Palpatine sighed, leaning over slightly to speak to Anakin quietly, "Anakin, you know I'm not able to rely on the Jedi Council. If they haven't included you in their plot, they soon will."

Anakin frowned at that, "I'm not sure I understand…"

"You must sense what I have come to suspect," Palpatine continued, his voice taking on a saddened note, as though it pained him to bring this up, to say it out loud, "The Jedi Council want control of the Republic, they're planning to betray me."

"I don't think…"

"Anakin, search your feelings," Palpatine cut in gently, "You _know_, don't you?"

"I…can admit I know they don't trust you," Anakin offered, being careful with his words, not wanting to give away anything more than the Chancellor already knew. It was rather clear to most that the Council was uneasy with the man.

Palpatine, however, scoffed at that, "Or the Senate or the Republic or democracy for that matter!"

Anakin was silent, just looking at Palpatine, a small frown on his face as though he were searching for something on the man's face.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Palpatine continued, seeming only the barest hint thrown that Anakin hadn't agreed with him, "If they ordered you to spy on me."

"They would not do such a thing, Chancellor," Anakin stated, as it was true.

Technically.

They hadn't used the word spy, they hadn't ordered him to do so, they had requested that he keep an eye on the man, that he keep them informed of any suspicious behavior. It was a reasonable thing to request in the middle of dark times such as these. They weren't telling him to find evidence of anything, they weren't telling him to snoop or pry, just…observe and if there was something unsettling, to let them know.

And, even more technically, _the Council _hadn't asked it of him, Amira had…on their request.

"I fear it will not be much longer then till they do," Palpatine turned to look back at the performance, "Remember back to your early teachings. Anakin. 'All those who gain power are afraid to lose it.' Even the Jedi."

"The Jedi use their power for good," Anakin recited the age old lesson, one that…he had come to believe more so through knowing his Master and Amira than anything, but he DID believe that. He truly did. Perhaps he wouldn't have years ago, but he did believe it in his heart now.

Amira herself had kept him from using his own power for evil, to slaughter and execute the Tuskens. He had nearly used his power for that, and what the Council did was so far away from that it could not be anything but good.

"Good is a point of view, Anakin," Palpatine remarked offhandedly, making Anakin frown, "And the Jedi point of view is not the only valid one…" he glanced at Anakin, "The Dark Lords of the Sith believe in security and justice also, yet they are considered by the Jedi to be…"

"Evil," Anakin shook his head, "But they ARE."

"Are they?" Palpatine started to smile at him, reminding him of when the man would teach him politics, how he would smile as though he'd caught him in a lesson and was about to offer him another point of view to consider.

Anakin shifted in his seat at that thought, he had had ample experience in considering the other side of things, Amira and their 'diplomatic talk' to help him think before he spoke had given him time to do that, the skill to think of another person's perspective quickly and deeply.

And she never smiled at him like he was a child that was only seeing tree instead of the whole forest.

"From a Jedi's point of view, perhaps," Palpatine continued, "But the Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power. The difference between the two is the Sith are not afraid of the Dark Side of the Force. That is why they are more powerful."

"The Sith rely on their passion for their strength," Anakin countered, "They think inward, only about themselves."

"And the Jedi don't?" Palpatine raised an eyebrow at that.

"No," Anakin argued, "The Jedi are selfless, they _only_ care about others."

Amira had taught him that, she had taught him just how far the Jedi would go for other people. She had helped him improve his skills, she had taken him to Tatooine to see his mother, she had put herself in mortal peril to protect him while he couldn't. And even now, even with how much he knew it was breaking her heart to do it, she was pushing him away, so that he wouldn't be torn between her and the Code they had both sworn an oath to. Every time they spoke, every single time he tried to bring up how he felt for her, whenever she turned him down or tried to drive him away, she always used the Code, she always used 'us' and 'we' and so many other things. She never thought only of herself, she never told him that she didn't wish to be with him because SHE didn't love him, but because the Code, that they had BOTH sworn to follow, forbid it, that HE had made a promise to the Code and they couldn't happen.

Not once had she made it a selfish remark, and he knew that it hurt her each time.

And he cared for her as well, he would endure his own broken heart, his own pain, for her. He would give his life for her, he worried for her, she had made him care about others as well. She had made him selfless in that way. She had helped him see how much others relied on the Jedi and how much they owed it to the Force and to life in general to protect it and nurture it.

She made him care about others more than himself. He wouldn't have apologized to her for the things he'd done to her if he hadn't realized her pain over his own frustrations. He wouldn't have come to understand his Master if she hadn't made him realize how much Obi-Wan had cared about him and all he'd done for him. He wouldn't have let go of his own frustrations and desires, his own anger at being denied opportunities, if he didn't care about something else more.

"Or so you've been trained to believe," Palpatine spoke easily, looking at the performance once more, not seeming to see the deep frown Anakin threw at him for his words, as though the notion had been beaten into his head instead of wormed its way into his heart without him realizing it, as though it hadn't been worked at and spoken of and absorbed by his mind instead of just a useless rule he didn't understand, he understood it, so much, "They will ask you to spy on me, one day, Anakin," Palpatine's voice grew sad, "They will ask you to betray the Jedi Code, the Constitution, a friendship, and your own values. And for what? Consider their motives. Keep your mind clear of assumptions. The fear of losing power is a weakness of both the Jedi and the Sith."

Anakin looked away at that, schooling his features as neutral as he could get them to be, unable to help his mind going to…how wrong that was. It was not against the Code, 'there is no ignorance, only knowledge' which would follow the request to observe the man and gain knowledge and understanding of the situation. It was not breaking the Constitution, they were in a time of war, many other more illegal options were being implemented when they would have been met with punishment before this time. It wasn't even a betrayal of a friendship, in this context, from the moment he'd been assigned to guard the Chancellor he had become his mission and not a friend. He'd had quite a lot of practice separating things in his mind, distancing himself and proving to the Council that he could handle looking at something one way or another when called for it. And it did not turn against his own values. The Jedi were meant to protect life and peace, and if, IF, the Chancellor was doing something to threaten that, he would WANT to be able to help stop it or warn others of it, to contribute his own to the war efforts.

He had to wonder when Palpatine had lost sight of who HE was if he did not know him as well as he claimed to…or perhaps he had changed from the boy Palpatine still thought he was. And it was another blow to his controlled-pride to know that the boy he HAD been, if Palpatine was to be believed, was someone that could be so easily swayed from his beliefs.

"Did you ever hear the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?" Palpatine inquired after a moment.

"No."

"I thought not," Palpatine nodded, "It's not a story _the Jedi_ would tell you," Anakin gave him a small look for the emphasis on the Jedi but Palpatine was still watching the performance, "It's a Sith legend. Darth Plagueis was a Dark Lord of the Sith, so powerful and so wise he could use the Force to influence the midi-chlorians to create life. He had such a knowledge of the Dark Side that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying."

"He could actually save people from death?" that did not seem like something the Dark Side would practice in.

Palpatine looked over at him for that, "The Dark Side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural, to a power not many would ever think possible."

"What happened to him?"

"He became so powerful the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, then his apprentice killed him in his sleep," he let out an almost-laugh at that, "Plagueis never saw it coming. It's ironic he could save others from death, but not himself. Oh but his apprentice, it's rumored, went on to be even more powerful than his Master," he eyed Anakin a moment, "The Dark Side, it seems, can offer quite the power, more than any Jedi has ever seen…"

Anakin grew tense at that, at the implication he was hearing in the Chancellor's voice, "I would not want a power like that," he murmured, it was a test of sorts, not sure if Palpatine meant to imply HE should join the Dark Side or was inquiring if he'd considered it. So he kept his answer vague, open for Palpatine to remark on his power and how much he could have or how he was already that powerful on the Light Side.

Unfortunately, Palpatine didn't take the bait, "No," he agreed, "I should think you would prefer the freedom of the Dark Side."

"Freedom?" Anakin shook his head at that.

"Oh yes," Palpatine nodded, "If the whispers of past Sith Lords is to be believed, one, Darth Nox, has said that the Sith do not repress their emotions, but embrace everything that the Force allowed. They would accept every emotion the Jedi Order would force you to repress, to cast off, allow the freedom to be with the one you desire most with no fear of the attachments that come from it. If the Force willed it, they would accept any bond," he leaned in slightly, "Even love," it was a blatant lie, even on the Dark Side, love was prohibited, but Anakin needn't know that.

"Love, sir?" Anakin leaned back from that, causing Palpatine to grin and straighten himself.

"I think," he gave Anakin a smile, "That a certain young Jedi from Tatooine may feel just that for another fellow Knight?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Anakin looked away, feeling very uncomfortable now, very defensive.

He knew how dangerous it was, for he and Amira to have the feelings they did, he would NOT admit them to anyone but her, no one, he would NOT risk her future as a Jedi just for his feelings. It was one thing to get her to admit she loved him out loud, it was one thing to have hope that, if they both felt strongly enough, that their love could survive in secret or, if the Force smiled on them, that the Council might allow them an exception to be together, but it was quite another thing to bring the subject up to someone else and risk them being kicked out of the Order. Because even if it would give them the freedom to be together, Amira would be devastated and he would NOT allow her to come to pain like that, not over him.

"Amira-Tal," Palpatine sighed, turning to watch the performance again, speaking as though he were just commenting on it, "She is a lovely young woman, Anakin, and, from what I know of her as a Jedi, a strong woman, a fierce warrior, and…very dedicated to the Code," he morphed his smirk into a smile when he saw Anakin frown out of the corner of his eye, "I will speak nothing of this to the Council, you have my word."

Anakin was silent, not even saying a thank you as he knew it could be taken to be an admission that there WAS something to speak to the Council about.

"I would not do that to you Anakin, I would not see you suffer what they should do to the both of you if they were to discover your feelings for each other," he nodded to himself, "I would not condemn you and your…fellow Knight, to the fate of Jedi Shaela Nuur and Duron Qel-Droma. Two young Knights that fell in love," he watched Anakin carefully out of the corner of his eye, "But were discovered during a mission on Korriban and were abandoned by their fellow Jedi, who would have undoubtedly been cast out of the Order in shame and for breaking the Code…" he shook his head, "It is a shame, that the Jedi treat love as though it were a disease when it is the greatest of gifts."

He sighed but stood as the performance drew to a close, clapping for the performers and looking down at Anakin, who was sitting silently and contemplatively in his chair, "I do promise you, Anakin, not a word of your affections shall reach the Council from me," he reached out and put a hand on Anakin's tense shoulder, squeezing it a moment, "I would only see you happy and I would see you have it, in any way you can."

Anakin was silent as Palpatine turned and stepped out of the box, immediately speaking to his aides as they departed, leaving him there alone, contemplative.

He closed his eyes, breathing deeply as he tried to shake a feeling off of him. He could feel it now, the unease that he was sure Amira had felt. The way the Chancellor had spoken, the words he'd used, the way he'd talked of the Dark Side…

How had he know? How had he known of so many Sith Lords, of their ways, of what the Dark Side encompassed? The Jedi had fought so hard to eradicate the Sith, to stop their ways from spreading and throwing the Galaxy into darkness and evil, not many concerned themselves with the way of the Sith…so why had the Chancellor?

But...then again, if the Chancellor hadn't looked into it he wouldn't know that there...there might be a way for he and Amira to be together without giving up the Jedi ways. If the Jedi and the Sith were truly as similar as Palpatine seemed to think they were, then wouldn't it just be like a...a sister-Order, like the Jedi but just with different values? They allowed love, they didn't treat it like a danger, he and Amira could be together and still try to uphold order in the Galaxy. They could be free...

He shook his head fiercely, an image of Amira's face in his mind, all the times he'd come close to venturing down the path to the Dark. He could remember the discussions they had had in the last few years about the Sith, about the Dark, about the negative emotions that the Order tried to teach their Jedi to let go of. He could remember the passion she had for the Code, for the Order, for the Light Side. To even contemplate, to even consider for a split second, that the way of the Sith was a better alternative...it wasn't. It wasn't at all.

But...they could be together...

Yet there was still the Chancellor. WHY had he investigated the Dark Side of the Force in the first place? Why had he spoken of all he had? He seemed so sure that the Jedi were against him and that he had reason to be wary of THEM instead of the other way around. Was it just him though? Did the entire Senate feel the same way? Surely if an entire governmental body thought the Council was out of line then...maybe the Council was? Or was it that others felt the Council was right but that Palpatine had enough power to silence them?

He opened his eyes and looked around, he didn't know what to do, he didn't know what to think. He had so many thoughts racing through his mind about the Chancellor and what he had said that he didn't know what to make of it. He knew that if he asked Amira she would try to help him make sense of it, but…it might mean having to tell her that Palpatine knew about them, or suspected, and he didn't want to put that pressure on her, make her push him away more than she had. He couldn't go to his Master, Obi-Wan didn't trust politicians. The Council was out of the question, they had requested he keep an eye on the man and…he didn't know if he was making a bigger thing of this than he ought to be. He didn't know which side to believe, the Chancellor or the Order. He wanted to believe the Order, but it was just as Amira had said, he should investigate himself, see if the Chancellor was innocent but be open to the possibility he was guilty. Shouldn't that be the same for the Order, investigate as though they were right but be open to the idea they could be wrong? But wouldn't that be a betrayal of his place in the Order? Or would it be a betrayal to the Senate that the Order served to suspect the Chancellor?

He sighed, there was only ONE person he could think to go to to ask about the Chancellor and their thoughts on the man and whether he was actually the danger the Council seemed to think him or whether the Council might be the ones out of line.

There was only one person he could talk to that knew Palpatine as well as, likely better than, he did.

~8~

The door to a small apartment in the Senate Building opened, the woman standing behind it giving a gasp of surprise to see Anakin Skywalker standing there, "Ani?"

Anakin gave a small nod to the young woman standing before him, "Hello Padmé."

A/N: A rather Anakin-heavy chapter, but I felt like there was really a lot that needed to be focused and thought and seen in depth with his conversation with Palpatine. I wanted to get into his head and see what his mind was going to about everything, and, given that the topic of conversation was not Padmé that the Chancellor spoke of, we needed a bit more of other things the Dark Side could offer }:)

Hope you liked the ending }:)

But never fear! We'll also be getting a second chapter today! Woo! :) A bit in celebration for starting a new story in Doctor Who, but it means we get an extra for this one ;) I'll be posting it in about...6-7 hours. I want to give space between this chapter and the next with also trying to leave some time between the next one and tomorrow's chapter. That means about 10ish pm (EST), a bit late, but it'll either be a chapter to read before bed or a special treat for those waking up ;)

Some notes on reviews...

I can't say if Amira might one day be pregnant just yet, depends how the story ends ;)

There'll definitely be a couple nightmares coming that will affect our favorite Jedi, but I won't say what it'll be }:) And we'll see Anakin being very protective of Amira in a very sweet moment yup ;) In the movie Anakin became a Jedi Knight before hand. Timelines on line give it at a few weeks (I think 4) after the end of the last movie that he was Knighted :) Amira followed suit a few weeks after that so they're both Jedi Knights now :) I think Anakin and Amira both call their old Masters 'Master' as a sign of respect, like they'll always be their Master to them :)

I can't say if Anakin will turn Dark Side permanently or come back or not turn it at all...or even if Amira might as well...just yet, we'll have to wait and see ;)

Oh Amira will be setting Anakin straight very soon about his interpretation of the Code and love and the Dark Side ;)

I've read science articles that the women tend to carry the twin-gene, so there's a larger chance that Amira won't so there may be no Luke or Leia. There may be a child, or no child, or two children of different ages, or, a possibility, of twins if, somewhere in Amira's family that she doesn't know, she has a twin-gene. IF Amira and Anakin have kids, it wouldn't be the Luke or Leia we know :)

We'll see more of Yoda's thoughts on all of this very soon as well as a very heavy Neeva-Amira chapter to come ;)

The series might go into Episode 4-6, but it'll depend on the thoughts of the last chapter if I do it at a later date and if there would be an interest in it by the end of the story :)

Anakin's still a little torn about whether he should spy or not. He's definitely suspicious, but I think he wants to know if there's a real danger that he should be watching for first. Like...he doesn't want to spy if it's the Council being paranoid and risk losing someone that he's come to respect, but he doesn't want to NOT spy if it means that he could learn valuable information that might help end the war. He needs a new perspective ;) But Palpatine definitely got into his head a bit there ;)

I can say that Luke and Leia, if I continue to Episode 4-6, wouldn't exist the way they are in the movies. With Amira being a Jedi as well, it would make for a stronger legacy in any children she and Anakin might have, so the children would be much stronger than Luke or Leia were, but at the same time, there IS a possibility that there may be no children at all, the story could possibly end in a way where Episode 4-6 don't happen or happen in an AU sense, but we won't know till the very end ;)

Yoda will have quite a few thoughts and comments on what's going on and speak up about it yup ;)

Thanks! I'll go back and fix it about Grievous :)

I'm glad you like the idea of Neeva and Obi-Wan, we'll have to see who survives this story or not }:)

Yup, one of the Jedi on the Council is married to 5 (I think) women due to the low birthrate for his species, it'll definitely be brought up again ;) Padmé made an appearance here and will make at least on more before the story's over too ;)


	4. A Nightmare Revealed

A Nightmare Revealed

Padmé shook her head and quickly stepped aside to allow Anakin into her quarters, "What are you doing here?"

Anakin paused, "I'm sorry, Senator, I should have contacted you before to ask if it was alright to…"

"No, it's fine," Padmé smiled at him lightly, "I was just…surprised. I haven't…" she cleared her throat, "I haven't seen you in three years."

Well, she hadn't really seen him, on and off, here and there, while he was accompanying another Jedi or attending to things for the Order, but never like this, one on one.

"Did the Council need something?" she asked, it was the only thing she could think of for why he'd be there after so long.

"No, Senator," he shook his head, "I wanted to ask your opinion of something, if that would be agreeable."

Padmé's smile started to fall to a light frown at that, the more he spoke to her, the more formal he was getting. It was a tone she'd heard quite often from the Jedi as they spoke with those outside the Order, when they spoke to strangers, "Of course, anything I can do to help you, Ani."

Anakin's lips pursed at that, an irrational streak of irritation flying through him at how she called him 'Ani' instead of his full name. Though he had probably instigated it by addressing her as 'Padmé' first instead of the formal Senator. He had hoped that a reminder of friendship and familiarity would make her more open to speaking to him. He could suspect he left her with a very bad impression of himself the last time they'd really been together, when his former-Master had been assigned to protect her and he'd been returned to the Temple for overstepping himself, and then again during the Battle of Geonosis where he'd only really been focused on fighting at the time and hadn't been able to spare her even a comment at the end to see if she was well or harmed.

"It would help if you address me as Anakin," he murmured.

Padmé blinked at that, seeming almost shocked by his words, before she nodded, "Only if you call me Padmé then, I'm not in the Senate at the moment and we are friends…aren't we?"

He gave a short nod, "All Jedi are expected to be positive representatives of the Order, it would be disrespectful of me to address you as anything other than Senator."

"You used to call me Padmé," she reminded him, "When you were a little boy."

"And then I grew up," he said simply, "I am not that child from Tatooine any longer, just as you are no longer the Queen of Naboo, it is time we see each other for what we are."

"And what ARE we?" Padmé crossed her arms, a familiar fire of debate lighting in her.

"We are allies in the fight for the Senate and the peace," he listed.

"Is that all?"

"That is all we can be," he nodded, "You are a Senator and I am a Jedi."

Padmé let out a soft breath, "You'll have to forgive me Ani…Anakin," she corrected, "I haven't seen you in quite a while, it is difficult to remember you are a Knight now instead of the Padawan Learner that accompanied Master Obi-Wan all those years ago. I never did tell you that I was sorry he had sent you back to the Temple. I could tell you had been invested in helping protect me and find my would-be assassin."

Anakin gave her a nod of acceptance in return, "It was for the best," he smiled softly, thinking about the 'best' part of it, what had come from his return to the Temple, Amira, "I was not ready for the mission, I required more training…"

"And yet you became a Knight shortly after," she teased, "Only 2 months later, I believe."

"Much can change in a short time," he shrugged lightly, "Especially when there are people to help guide us along the way."

Padmé frowned at that, "I thought Obi-Wan was tracking my assassin during the time…"

"He was," he smiled.

Padmé thought on that a moment, casting her mind back to the last time she had truly seen Anakin, the Battle of Geonosis, to another Padawan that had been with Anakin at the time. She could still remember it as though it were yesterday, the pistol in her hand, trying to help the Jedi. But she could also remember the girl, the blonde girl that Anakin had saved and who had saved Anakin in return. She had been startled at the time, to hear him call her 'Senator' when he had acted so familiar with her in her apartment before Obi-Wan sent him back to the Temple.

She had also been very confused when his attention had shifted from her to the girl and remained there. She was not a vain woman, or she didn't think herself to be, but…Anakin had seemed so taken with HER when they'd met again. The way he'd looked at her had given her shivers, had caught her breath in her throat, she hadn't been able to look away from him nor him from her. She…she honestly hadn't stopped thinking of him since she'd seen him then. She'd spent a month on Naboo with another Jedi protector and hadn't been able to not wonder what it might have been like if it had been Anakin. If he had stayed with Obi-Wan and his Master was sent out on the mission he had been, Anakin would have been the one to be with her. She'd wondered, imagined, what the time together would have been like. When she saw him again, it had been like a ray of sunlight through gloomy clouds of her thoughts. She had noticed he was nervous to meet her again after 10 years apart, but that he had seemed taken with her. She could admit that, before that moment, she hadn't really considered the boy from Tatooine, till she'd seen him again as a young man instead.

Even now, even after the battle, she thought of him. Less and less frequently as the years went on, but she did still wonder about him, sometimes even dream about him. And now there he was, standing before her, and smiling at a thought of a time spent without her there…

And she recognized that smile, it was the smile he had given her when he saw her again, that happy smile that told her that he was relieved and full of joy and he was making it at memories of someone else. Her eyes widened as that realization hit her, he was thinking not of a different time, but a different person now.

"That Padawan?" Padmé inquired.

"Hmm?" Anakin looked at her.

"She guided you," Padmé remarked, "The one from the Arena, that…that came with you."

"Amira," Anakin nodded, "Amira-Tal. She's a Knight now. Just a few weeks after me."

Padmé cleared her throat, the tone of his voice had changed, the expression on his face as well, it was like the look he'd given her three years ago, but…deeper, more savoring, more reverential, and…more mature. Whatever he felt for that girl was deeper and more powerful in his heart than he felt for her.

She tried not to feel a sting from it, to know she'd been so easily replaced in his heart. He had, it seemed, pined for her for 10 years, and then in a matter of but a month another had filled his heart more than she ever had. And now, three years later, he was still as filled with affection for the girl as he had been then, more so. She knew she shouldn't feel stung about it, she had given him no indication she might return his feelings, nor had she reached out to him, they'd had barely any contact in the last few years, and…his prominence in her thoughts was waning even now, but still…

She couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of this girl, this Amira-Tal, who had taken her place in his heart in so brief a time and so fully.

"You said you came for advice?" Padmé reminded him, wanting to steer the conversation as far away from the matters of the heart as possible now.

She…might have hoped that he'd come to see her, that he'd missed her and that he thought of her as he used to, as she'd found herself thinking of him, but he'd mentioned advice…and then that girl and she knew her hopes were unfounded. Still, he had done much for her in the past and it was the least she could do to offer help if he were asking for it.

"Yes," he nodded, coming back to the present and out of his thoughts, "You know the Chancellor better than most, he was one of your advisors, your Ambassador when you were Queen…"

"I'm aware," Padmé cut in, feeling slightly on edge about it all to begin with. She'd had a few discussions with other Senators about the Chancellor before and she wasn't sure she wished to do it again. What she had heard of the man that had helped her so much in her career was disturbing.

"Yes, my apologies, Senator," he bowed his head, "I wanted to ask your opinion on him, of him at the current time. What do you think of how he is handling the Senate, the Republic, and the War?"

Padmé sighed, "I should not be telling you this, Anakin," she began, "But I owe you much and…I trust you will keep this to yourself?" Anakin hesitated but nodded, he'd come there more to help him make a decision than to give information to the Council, "Many of us fear for the Republic, for the state of our democracy. There are…whispers that the Chancellor has turned his back on it. The Constitution is continually ignored and contravened, amendments and executive directives changed and given. There is…truly an abhorrent amount of corruption that has taken hold of the Senate. And the one in control OF the Senate is…"

"The Chancellor," Anakin murmured with a nod.

"Yes. There are many Senators that follow his will for he holds all the power at the moment, they believe it will bring them power too. Some…some have even called him a Dictator."

"Is he?" he looked at Padmé, his voice growing quiet, "Do you believe him to be one? An enemy of the Republic?"

"I don't want to," Padmé sighed, "But even I can admit that…there is something wrong in the Senate. And the Chancellor knows it, yet does nothing to stop it, he refuses to stop the fighting and let the Democracy resume. Even I can admit, as much as I hate to do so, that he has had temporary emergency powers over the Republic for FAR longer than they were meant to be his, he will not relinquish them and that tells me something I must listen to. I fear, if this continues, the Democracy I have fought so hard for, the Democracy we are serving will not exist for long and if that fails, the Republic will as well. It will fall to the very evil that you and your Order, that all of us, have been fighting to destroy."

Padmé took a breath at the end of her long speech, not realizing just how much of that she felt and believed till she was telling Anakin. She looked at him now, seeing him taking in her words and felt a tug at her heart. He really had come here just for her opinion on Palpatine, hadn't he? She'd hoped that he might have...no, it was foolish to think such things. Years of thinking of him had left her nervous around him, hopeful, and she ought not be. Not only as it would be shattering his Code the things she had thought of him in the past, but also...his heart was clearly taken with someone else, even if he hadn't said so, she could tell. Woman's intuition. And it would not be fair or just or right to harbor such feelings for him knowing that his heart was elsewhere. Perhaps this would be a good visit after all, perhaps this was what she'd needed to see, the man he was that had matured past a boyhood crush on her and saw her as a friend instead. Perhaps she just needed to see that he had moved on from her so that she could move on from him.

"Thank you, Senator," Anakin offered, pulling her from her thoughts as he gave her another nod of farewell before he turned to leave.

He had much to think about…and one more person he needed to speak of.

Padmé's words, her talk of there being something wrong happening in the Senate, they reminded him very much of another woman's words. He had to know why she'd felt that way, why she'd warned him to be wary of the Chancellor, how she had sensed that unease from him, the same unease Padmé felt as well, yet he had not.

He needed to speak to Amira, and soon.

~8~

Anakin stood before the Council, both those present physically and those attending via hologram, including Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Master Windu, explaining what he had been told by the Chancellor. He was trying to be brief and neutral, but also quick. He had returned to the Temple late the night before, had wanted to find Amira but, passing her rooms, he could sense she was asleep and he would not disturb her. He'd had little time to even try to find her before the meeting began for it was far too urgent to tell them the news of Grievous and he knew she would want him to relate that first.

"Palpatine thinks General Grievous is on Utapau," a hologram of Ki-Adi-Mundi repeated, considering the information, "We have had no reports of this from our agents…"

"How could the Chancellor have come by this information and we know nothing about it?" Master Windu's own hologram agreed, "We have had contact with Baron Papanoida and he said no one was there."

"A partial message was intercepted in a diplomatic packet from the Chairman of Utapau," Anakin informed them, having been transmitted a copy of it by the Chancellor just that morning.

"Act on this, we must," Yoda decided, "The capture of General Grievous will end this war. Quickly and decisively we should proceed."

"Does everyone agree?" Obi-Wan looked around as the Jedi nodded.

"The Chancellor has mentioned he thought I would be best to lead the campaign," Anakin remarked, making the Council look at him, disturbed, only Obi-Wan and Master Yoda seemed to be waiting for him to continue, expecting that he had more to say, "I told him that I defer to the Council's judgment on who would be best to take this task."

"A wise response, that was," Yoda nodded, "A Master is needed, with more experience," he agreed, "Any in mind, have you?" he looked at Anakin pointedly.

Anakin's eyes widened at that, not having expected that he'd be offered the chance to contribute a suggestion, "I have only one, Master," he glanced over at Obi-Wan, "Master Kenobi," he smirked at his former-Master's startled expression before he turned back to the Council, "Of us all, he has the most experience with Grievous's ways of combat."

"Obi-Wan, my choice is," Yoda smiled at him as the other members of the Council offered their agreement to the choice as well.

"Very well," Master Windu nodded, "Council is adjourned. Obi-Wan, prepare two clone brigades as quickly as you can. If this report is true, there's no telling how many battle droids he may have with him."

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan nodded at the man before the hologram clicked off. He glanced over at Anakin, who seemed eager to leave the room and made sure to slip out first. He knew exactly where his former-Padawan would be heading, and he wished to have a word with her first. So he carefully slipped out of the room as the Council members began to disappear via their holograms, Anakin being detained a moment longer by Master Windu requesting that he distribute the copy of the transmission to the rest of the Council, and headed down the halls.

According to Neeva, her former-Padawan, even now obtaining the title of Knight, still practiced frequently in the training rooms with her lightsaber. That would be the best area to begin his search for her, a search which…truly wasn't all that long or tedious to complete. She was there, just as Neeva mentioned, going through her stances and moves but seeming to be trying to do so without moving her feet or taking a step, to use as little energy as possible while still making the moves strong and powerful. It was a technique Neeva had mentioned discussing with Amira, to try and make a duel as defensive as possible and exert as little energy as possible, to tire out the opponent and then strike with power that their oppose couldn't counter.

"Impressive," he called, not wanting to startle the woman. Neeva had also mentioned that her former-Padawan could get so caught in her practicing that she didn't notice when others had come around.

It was just as she said for Amira jumped and spun around, "Master Obi-Wan," she bowed her head, deactivating her lightsaber, "Did you need the room?" she asked, not sure why he was there.

"No, no," he shook his head, glancing down the hall a moment before stepping inside the room, "I merely wished to inform you that I have recently been assigned a mission to defeat General Grievous once and for all."

Amira blinked at that, "May the Force be with you, Master."

"Thank you," he smiled, but sighed, "I don't know how long I will be away and…"

"And?"

"You are not my Padawan, nor were you, and I should not ask this of you," he began.

"If it is something I can do to help, Master, please just let me know and I will do my utmost to see it through."

Obi-Wan shook his head at her, "Neeva was right about you, you are a true Jedi, loyal and dedicated."

"Thank you," Amira bowed her head at that.

"I…" he hesitated, "Amira, I have…noticed that my former-Padawan looks at you a certain way," Amira's face morphing into the most neutral expression he'd ever seen was all the proof he needed that she was aware of it as well, "I have seen this before, years ago, and Anakin…"

"You have nothing to fear, Master Kenobi," she cut in, firmly, but politely, "There is nothing between Anakin and I."

"You call him Anakin now," he mused, "I recall you only addressing him as Skywalker for years," he watched as she shifted slightly, "He looks at you, Amira, the same way you try not to look at him. I know how he feels about you."

Amira was silent at that.

"He loves you," he stated plainly, almost frowning when he saw her flinch, "And I worry for him."

"There is nothing to worry for," she insisted again, "There is nothing between Skywalker and I," she stated, making sure to use 'Skywalker' instead this time, "There is nothing, nor can there ever be. It is against the Code and the way of the Jedi."

Obi-Wan nodded slowly, hearing the resolve in her voice, but also…an exhaustion as well, a pain, "You are a true Jedi," he murmured, "You would refuse him to remain one, you would refuse him because you care for him despite it," he held up a hand to stop her speaking, "And that is why I have sought you out. I will not tell the Council about this," he told her, "You have already shown that you wish to remain true to the Code and I have seen nothing happening between you and Anakin that I can prove to the Council anyway…"

"Nor will there be anything," she added quickly.

"So I ask you, as a fellow Jedi and as someone who also cares for Anakin," he hesitated, knowing it was unfair, truly unfair to ask this of the young woman. Because he knew that she was pained in her feelings for Anakin yet bore them and denied them for the sake of the Order, and that he was playing on her concern and care for him and putting more of a burden on her, but he just…these were such dark times and his former-Padawan did better when SHE was involved or near, "Watch out for him," he asked of her, "He's been put in a difficult position as the Chancellor's representative. I would not see that position or the Chancellor confuse him."

"I would see nothing confuse him," Amira promised him, "Not a position, nor _any_one."

Obi-Wan nodded solemnly at that, trusting her to stay with that, so long as she remained firm, he knew his former-Padawan would be in less danger. He knew she would, Neeva had trained her well, she was a true Jedi at heart, loyal and dedicated to the Code, and her concern for Anakin only ensured that in his mind. She would not do anything that would allow his former-Padawan to jeopardize his place in the Order as well. Amira would look out for him and help him when HE couldn't be there. He just had to trust that all would be well and...he could almost feel that it would be, that the Force was trying to tell him that things would work out, everyone would be fine. He just had to believe that.

"Thank you," he told her, gratefulness in his voice to know that there would be someone watching out for his former-Padawan while he was off, while Anakin would be left alone more and more often with the Chancellor.

She gave him a nod in return as he turned to leave her alone in the training room. She moved over to a bench on the side, sitting there with her legs outstretched, replaying the conversation in her mind for a moment or two…when the doors opened and Anakin entered.

"How did you know?" he asked her instantly.

"Know what?" she countered, running a tired hand across her forehead, "I know many things Skywalker, which are you referring?"

"How did you know that I should be wary of the Chancellor?" he moved to stand before her, "You said you sensed something wrong about him. I have been around him numerous times and I haven't felt anything."

"Because you trust him," she sighed, "You don't want to sense something wrong about him. I couldn't help but feel that way," she glanced up at him, "Why, do YOU feel something wrong now?"

"I don't know," he sighed, "I…sense something off about him, but it's more the things he says and how he looks at me than a genuine sense of him. What did you feel exactly?"

"I…would rather not say," she admitted quietly.

He knelt down before her, taking her hands in his own, but she tugged them away…so he crossed his arms over her knees and squatted before her, trapping her, making her roll her eyes at his actions, "Tell me. Please."

"Skywalker…"

"If I am going to be around him, I need to know what it is about him that makes others so ill at ease," he moved, placing a hand on top of hers but not taking it, "I want to know what has made YOU so agitated around him."

"Why what I feel?"

"You're important to me," he said, with such ease that Amira had to look way.

"Stop saying things like that," she whispered to him.

"When they cease to be true, I will," he shrugged, shaking his arms a bit to get her to look back at him, "Until then, I will never lie to you. And…I would hope you won't lie to me."

She sighed, "I…felt fear," she told him, "When he took my hand, I felt a…fear and disgust and horror and devastation I'd only ever felt once before."

"When?" he frowned at that.

"In my meditations," she murmured, "When I used to try to meditate, I would be hit with that same feeling and it would jolt me out of my meditations. I haven't felt it in…so long that it was jarring to feel it once more, and from a person I had never met personally before. And then, to find you'd been assigned to guard him…" she shook her head.

"That was what had you so worried," he realized, "You felt that from him and feared for me."

"I fear for you more than you know."

He smiled at that, turning the hand he'd placed on hers to take it, "Because you love me."

"Stop saying that!" she nearly snapped, pushing herself up to stand.

Anakin moved to his feet as well, turning when she passed him, heading for the doors but grabbed her hand before she could make it farther than a step, "Amira, I'm sorry," he told her, "I am. I just…it is frustrating," he told her, "To hold the feelings I do for you and be unable to express them when…when all I want to do is shout it to everyone who will listen that I love you with all my heart," he looked at her, "All I wish is that you would tell me how you truly feel, that you would stop hiding what's in your heart from me. I wish…I wish you had as much faith and trust in us as I do, enough to fight for us and…"

"You think I don't?" she cut in, her voice choking with emotion, "You think I wouldn't if I could? You think what you feel for me is in anyway more than what I do for you?!"

"What DO you feel for me?" he tried to lead it out of her.

"No," she swallowed, "No. I am _not_ saying it Anakin."

"Why not? What is so terrible about love that you cannot even speak the word to..."

"You KNOW why," she shook her head slowly, stepping back, pulling her hand from his, "Anakin I have told you already. _This_ cannot be."

"Why not?!" he nearly shouted, only the fact he didn't want to anger her or truly fight with her keeping him from doing so completely, "Amira, I _love_ you!"

"And THAT is just it," she reminded him, tears coming to her eyes, "We cannot do this. It is against the Code…"

"Then Code is wrong! Anything that forbids this sort of love is wrong. If we are meant to love unconditionally then why…"

"Anakin, please, _stop_," she pleaded quietly, giving him pause at the tremble in her voice, "We cannot be. I will NOT let my feelings for you tempt you to the Dark Side."

"Then you DO feel something for me," he smiled at her accidental confession, only for it to fall quickly as the rest of her words caught up to him, "What do you mean?" Amira swallowed hard, looking away, but he stepped closer, reaching out to take her hand in his, concern rising at how they were shaking, "Mira, please, tell me," he gently lifted her chin to look into her eyes, "I know you've kept something from me," he murmured, "There was something you couldn't say to me. Something about us. Something MORE than just the Code keeping you from me. There HAVE been exceptions to the Code, it couldn't be that entirely. There is something else haunting you. Just tell me," he let his thumb slide from her chin to her cheek, "Or tell me that YOU do not love ME...and I will leave you be and hold my love in my heart in silence for the rest of my days."

Amira closed her eyes tightly at that, knowing she couldn't do that, that her heart wouldn't let her lie to him that way, break him that way, knowing he would see through her the moment she tried to lie and say she didn't feel that for him.

So, instead, all that escaped her was, "Jedi do not have nightmares," she spoke, her voice so hushed he almost didn't hear her, "You thought…you thought your nightmare of your mother was just a dream, but…it wasn't."

"You think your nightmare was a vision," he realized, "The one of the Younglings and the shadow."

She looked at him, almost startled, "You remember that?"

She had only mentioned it once time to him, just once, over three years ago.

"It pained you," he shook his head, focusing on her, "Of course I remembered."

She let out a breath at that, touched and troubled that he remembered something she'd only briefly described so many years later. As much as she kept trying to deny that he loved her, despite what he said, as much as she tried to believe that what he felt wasn't love but something else, he just kept giving her more and more proof that he DID love her, that he loves her even now.

"It's not a shadow any longer," she admitted, her voice shaking even more, "I've know who the shadow was for…for years now."

"Why didn't you say something?" he shook his head.

But the look she gave him, the look of devastation and sorrow and guilt, was all the answer he needed.

"It was me, wasn't it?" he almost took a step back from that out of shock, he would have if that space wouldn't have meant releasing her. It was like his body couldn't physically be pulled from her, instead squeezing her hand more, tugging her a step closer to him instead, "_I_ was the shadow. I was the one that…"

"That slaughtered the Younglings," Amira's face scrunched as she tried to keep her tears in, saying it out loud broke her heart, "I realized it when…when you were about to do the same to the Tuskens," she looked away, taking a deep breath before looking back at him, "It…what I felt then, what I saw in you, sensed off you, it was exactly like my dream and ever since then, it's been clearer to me, the shadow wasn't hidden any longer, it was YOU, Anakin. My vision was of you. And that breaks my heart," her voice broke completely at that, "To know that you fell to such darkness that you would do that and I…I didn't want you to ever suffer a pain that would lead you to that path. That was why I said to be wary of the Chancellor, I felt the same feeling from him as in the vision and I don't know WHY, I don't know what it means for you now that you are to be around him..."

Anakin closed his eyes at that, and Amira's heart shattered entirely to see a small tear escape the corner of his eye, knowing he was imagining the horror that she'd seen, the fear and anger she had to have felt in her vision, feeling disgusted and ashamed at himself that her vision of him had done such a heinous act.

She couldn't stand it, so she reached out and touched his cheek, "I…" her voice caught, but she forced her words out around the lump in her throat...

"I DO love you, Anakin."

There, she had finally admitted it out loud...and she was utterly terrified to have done so, because all that could come from it was more hurt and heartbreak, for them both to know, without a doubt, that they loved each other, but could never be together.

"I love you, so much…I love you too much to let you fall to the Dark Side over me. Jedi are not to love, not the way _we_ do," she looked into his eyes, begging him to understand, "To love as we do…it has happened in the past, and that is WHY the Code exists, why we are forbidden to love. To love and lose the one you love," she shook her head, looking down, her hand falling from his face to land on his heart, "The vengeance that would fill us…we would fall to the Dark Side and I fear we would never rise out. You were nearly ready to slaughter a camp of Tuskens for your mother's injuries, because a woman you loved was hurt, it terrified me more than words can say to think of what you would do to someone if a woman you loved, more than that, were to be harmed or killed," she took a deep breath, looking up at him, "I would rather die, I would rather suffer and feel as though I am dying each day I am not with you, than to see you become the monsters that the Sith are. I would rather break my heart every moment I see you, every time I'm near you but cannot touch you, than to allow that darkness and hate to fill you if something happened to me. And if that means we can never be, if it means that you will never be tainted by that evil…then that is what must happen. Please, Anakin, please understand. I will not risk YOU, the goodness in your heart," her fingers twitched on his chest for that and his other hand shot up to rest over her hand, holding it there, "Not for me, not for what I want, not for what I dream of. I would not survive if I lost you," she told him, "Not to death nor to the Dark Side. And I will fight for you," she nodded, determination in her voice that made her step back, pulling her hand from him, taking more and more steps away, "I will fight to save you from the damnation of the Dark Side, even if it means living in hell without you."

And with that, she turned and hurried away from him, leaving Anakin there, his head bowed as her words consumed him. Through the jumbled mess that was his mind, only three things rang out clearly within him.

Amira DID love him, she truly loved him, as much as he did her.

It wasn't just the Code that was keeping them apart, but her fear for HIM.

And, if her vision was to be believed...she had every right to be terrified OF him as well.

A/N: Dum dum dum! Anakin knows about the nightmare/vision now! Poor him, to be confronted with being the object of a 'nightmare' like that :( But now he finally understands Amira's real reason for keeping away from him and why she's fighting him so hard about their feelings. Poor her for having it pulled out like that :'( It's the Code, yes, but to Anakin there are exceptions to it, it's even more so her fear that, if anything happened to her, he would fall to the Dark Side and she will NOT want that to happen and thinks she's protecting him by denying him.

Then again...constant denial might just push someone over an edge sooner or later... }:)

I hope you all enjoyed Padmé :) I was debating whether to make her very jealous of Amira but writing her she always struck me as very mature. And she'd only seen grown-Anakin so briefly that it just didn't feel right that she'd be outwardly jealous or angry that he had moved on from her to someone else. I think she just needed the sort of 'wake up' call that Anakin had to find someone better for her :) I can say though...we still have yet to see Amira and Padmé meet }:)

I know that Anakin and Padme DO meet and spend time together in the Clone Wars TV series, but in this version of events they don't have much contact with each other or reason to be near each other like they did in the show, it would be different people that attended to Padme in the show and would be different people than Anakin if I did continue this story to do the Clone Wars too ;)

Some notes on reviews...

Palpatine is very sneaky ;) And he's got a bit more to come yet :)

I'm glad you're so excited! I can't wait for all of you to see how it all plays out as well :) Many twists to come ;) I actually really enjoy trying to write Yoda, he's fun :) Jar Jar though was more complicated ;) Padmé was definitely the bigger person here and she may have some more support to offer once she's had time to absorb her new reality ;) We may not see much of Jar Jar from here on out though, sorry! :(

Yup, I run on New Jersey time, which is Eastern Standard Time :) I tend to end up posting my Doctor Who chapters at 6:30am as a result lol :)

I think Anakin really doesn't want to think the Chancellor's on the bad side, much like Obi-Wan and Neeva don't want to see Anakin and Amira developing a relationship, but Obi-Wan's sort of come around. Even if Amira denies it, he knows it's there, but knows it won't take shape or actually happen with her dedication to the Order. I always wondered why Anakin didn't consider that the man knew so many things about the Sith. We'll see Anakin's thoughts on why he thinks Palpatine knows what he does in a later chapter ;)

Padmé would definitely be more on the helping side here ;) She always struck me as mature about many things and she'd probably think of it from Amira's POV, if someone had a crush on her man, would SHE want that person to make a move? We'll see a little Padmé-Amira meeting though ;)

I didn't get how it wasn't obvious to Anakin as well, Sith would know about the Sith :/ But we'll see one interpretation of why he didn't immediately connect those dots later in the story ;)

We'll get a mention and a few of Anakin's thoughts on Ahsoka, but no physical appearance of her in the story, we'll hear of her though :)


	5. Solemn Oaths

Solemn Oaths

Amira grunted as she landed on her back in the training room, Neeva standing above her with a deep frown on her face, "Are you alright, Amira?" the woman asked, holding out a hand to help her former-Padawan up from where she'd fallen.

This was…rare. Amira practiced her saber work more than any other Jedi she knew of, save perhaps Master Yoda, her former-Padawan had been able to best her nearly every time for the last two years when they would duel. Yet she had won the last three spars with the girl. She would have said that the girl was distracted, but there wasn't anything she could think of that would distract her. Well, there was something that would distract HER, which was Obi-Wan leaving fairly soon to seek out General Grievous, her friend would be going out on his own and she worried for him but also had faith in him as well. She had wanted to go see the man off, but she had seen her former-Padawan practicing, having come to see if she'd like to accompany her, and realized something was…off. Her reactions were slower, her moves duller, as though she weren't actually concentrating.

She had thought, perhaps, it was lack of partner and offered to duel with her…now though, she was sure that there was something else amiss. Her former-Padawan had always been very closed and in control of her emotions. Save for frequent bouts of distraction as a child, she was very focused and able to process emotions well. She truly had never seen her former-Padawan like this since she'd been newly assigned to her.

"It is nothing, Master," Amira shook her head, looking away.

Neeva frowned at that, hearing an actual crack in Amira's voice, "You know it is a sign of disrespect to your Master to lie to them," it was a low, low blow, to remark on her accountability as a Jedi and former-Padawan, but she also knew that Amira wouldn't be easily swayed to speak of what was bothering her, choosing to work it out herself.

Normally, she would allow the girl to do so. But that crack, the distraction, the way the girl had flinched when she'd mentioned going to join Obi-Wan and Anakin to say goodbye, there was something bothering her deeply and she could tell that it would take more than just Amira meditating on the problem to be able to process it.

"I'm sorry Master, I meant no disrespect," Amira turned to her, her eyes wide.

Neeva smiled slightly at that, reminded very much of when Amira had been younger, that look she always got that said she was horrified that she'd disrespected someone, and turned, moving over to a bench by the wall and patting it, giving her former-Padawan a look that told her to sit or else. There was never an 'or else' with Amira, she was always eager to please her Master and do as she was told. So she was honestly surprised when Amira hesitated for a long moment before she eventually joined her at the bench.

"Now," she reached out and took Amira's hand, "What is bothering you?"

"I…" Amira opened her mouth, but it snapped shut, Amira just shaking her head as though she didn't know how to say it.

"Amira?" Neeva frowned when Amira just kept shaking her head, reaching out to touch the girl's cheek, her eyes widening as she saw tears in the girl's eyes, "Amira, what is it?"

"I can't…" she half pleaded with her Master.

"What's wrong?" Neeva looked her in the eye, "Amira you can tell me anything, you know this," she squeezed Amira's hand.

"I…" Amira struggled more only to burst into tears.

Neeva quickly pulled the girl into her arms, completely stunned to see her former-Padawan like this. She couldn't remember the last time Amira had cried, let alone cried like she was now, actually sobbing, deep and mournful sounds, into her shoulder.

"Shh," she tried to soothe the girl, "Shhh, it's alright. It'll be alright…"

"No, it won't," Amira shook in her arms.

Neeva pulled away, lifting Amira's face to look into her eyes, "Amira, please, tell me what's wrong. What happened?"

"I should be banished from the Order," Amira told her.

Neeva gaped at her, "What?" she shook her head, "No, no, you shouldn't. You are one of the best examples of a Jedi and…"

"I broke the Code," Amira admitted so quietly that Neeva almost missed it.

"You…what?"

She was NOT expecting that at all.

Amira just closed her eyes and started to cry once more, pulling away from her former-Master, pulling her legs up onto the bench and curling her arms around them, burying her face into her knees, her shoulders shaking.

Neeva shook her head out of her shock, scooting closer, her hand on Amira's back with the other on her knee, "Amira, tell me what you did. It cannot possibly be so bad as to require banishment."

Amira lifted her face, taking in a shaky breath, trying not to cry, truly trying not to, it was just…she knew her former-Master would be disappointed in her, and that would kill her, almost as much as her own guilt and frustration at herself for breaking the Codes she had been raised to uphold, "I…I feel things…for…Anakin."

"Feel things?" Neeva repeated slowly, all of Obi-Wan's words rushing back to her, making her heart stop, "You've formed an attachment to him?"

Amira bit her lip, looking so utterly guilty that Neeva's heart broke, "…I love him."

Neeva's eyes widened at that, "Love?"

Amira nodded, squeezing her eyes shut a moment, trying to stem off another wave of tears, "I have tried, Master," she began, opening her eyes and starting to speak quickly, almost too quickly for Neeva to keep up with but she managed, "I tried not to. I did. I tried to keep it from growing. At first it was just a companionship, two Padawans, but then it was a friendship and…I don't even know how it happened, but it became love before I could stop it. I tried to reverse it, to block it, to push it down, but it won't. I…I've done everything I can to discourage Anakin, to keep away from him, but…it hurts," her voice broke on the last word, "It hurts so much to be away from him. I feel like I can't breathe, like my heart is only half working, like I'm missing part of me and I can't be ME till I get it back. I don't know how it happened, I don't," she repeated, insisting on it, "It did and I tried, I'm trying to keep it from growing but…I don't know how to stop it!" she let out a small shaking breath, "I'm not sure I want to…"

Neeva let out a breath at that, "Oh Amira…" she moved closer to the girl, wrapping her arms around her as she let down her legs and turned to hug her former-Master tightly, shaking in her arms, "I…I don't know what to say…"

And she didn't. She hadn't expected something like this, not from Amira, not from any Padawan really, but not HER Padawan. Amira had always been so dedicated to the Code and the Order, had striven to be ready for her Trials, had worked so hard to be a good Padawan and worked harder even now to be a good Jedi. Love, an attachment like this, it seemed inconceivable…

"I'm a blight on the Order," Amira murmured, "I'm a failure. I'm a disappointment…"

"No," Neeva shook her head, "No you are not. You are nothing like any of that."

"But I am!" Amira looked at her, "The Code forbids it!"

Neeva had no counter to that, their way, their Order did forbid love like that.

"I didn't want it to happen," Amira told her Master, looking so desperate for her to believe her, to believe that she hadn't willingly tried to undermine their way of life, that Neeva found herself nodding, "I didn't. I don't want it, I don't want to feel like this," she closed her eyes, "I hurt when he's here, I hurt when he's not, I'm happy when he's beside me but happy that he's away from me to not tempt me and I just…I don't know what to do. I don't want to be the thing that pushes him to the Dark Side."

Neeva looked at her for that, "The Dark Side?"

"Love is dangerous," Amira murmured, sounding like she was reciting an old lesson, which she was, "To lose one you love is a path to the Dark Side," she closed her eyes tightly, "Anakin said he loved me," she opened her eyes, "I don't want to hurt him, but I don't want him to be hurt by me, I don't want him to sink to that, to become that. I don't want him to love me…but…"

"But you don't want to lose his love either," Neeva whispered, moving to brush a hair from Amira's face.

"No," she agreed, "Please, Master, what do I do? How do I make it stop? How do I keep him safe?"

"I don't know," Neeva breathed, moving to pull Amira back into her arms, rocking her as the girl wept in her arms, hurting, "I don't know."

She closed her eyes an pressed a kiss to Amira's hair as she held the girl. She didn't know what she could say or do to help her, to comfort her, to relieve the pain in her. Love was tricky and forbidden and her former-Padawan knew that, the little girl she'd practically raised was hurting and there wasn't anything she could do to help. She didn't know what could happen next, what would happen next, this was against their way, others had been banished in the past, turned away from the Order for breaking the Code. She didn't want that to happen to her former-Padawan, the girl that was like a daughter to her.

But she didn't know if there was a way to stop it, she didn't know if she could stop it. Amira had clearly tried to stay away from Anakin, but she hadn't been able to. She'd tried to push the feelings back, to ignore them, to bury them, but love was the most powerful of emotions, matched only by hate and both were extremes that the Order tried to keep from developing in this manner. Love could lead to hate and anger and fear and so many other negative emotions and to know that Amira was suffering so many fears over this. She could be banished, she could be cast out, she could end up getting Anakin banished, or something could happen to her and Anakin might turn to the Dark Side and that was truly a terrifying thought, if all the rumors, that Anakin was the Chosen One meant to bring balance to the Force, were true…if he fell to the Dark Side…it could mean the end of them all.

And that would be on Amira as well. The girl already knew she'd broken the Code of the Order in falling in love, she already felt like a failure, to add that fear onto it…she didn't know how her former-Padawan had lasted so long, for clearly this sort of love didn't spring over night, without breaking down before now. The threat of the Dark Side and…

Neeva's breath caught in her as another thought hit her. Amira had spoken of Anakin, ONLY of Anakin, falling to the Dark Side. She knew Amira was not so arrogant as to think that she was above the pull of the Dark, no Jedi was, they were all susceptible under certain circumstances. Amira knew that, if something happened to Anakin, that she might be just as likely to fall to the Dark…unless…

She closed her eyes and clutched her former-Padawan closer.

If Amira thought so strongly that Anakin would fall to the Dark Side, but mentioned nothing of herself, knowing she would be just as susceptible…it meant only one thing.

Amira didn't think she'd be there to fall to it.

She didn't think she'd survive Anakin's death long enough for the Dark Side to even tempt her.

Oh Amira, she couldn't help but mourn inwardly as she rocked the girl in her arms, what had she done? How had this happened? How had her Padawan fallen so deeply in love with another that she truly thought she wouldn't survive their death, and not noticed? And now…now it was too late. A love that deep couldn't be stopped or suppressed.

And she felt like a failure as a Master, because she had no idea what she could do to help.

~8~

Obi-Wan looked at Anakin as they walked down the landing platform near the docking bay for the Clone troops, all of them armored, loading up a massive Assault Ship, the very one that he would be taking with him on his mission to stop Grievous. He couldn't quite focus on the mission, however, while his concern for Anakin was growing more as the seconds went by.

His former-Padawan was quiet.

Actually silent, not talking at all, just staring at the ground as they walked side by side, not responding to anything around him. It was as though he were in his own little world and, had he not known better, he might have thought Anakin had somehow perfected meditation with his eyes open and moving he was so still otherwise.

"I hope you are not upset about this mission," Obi-Wan began, watching Anakin closely, but the boy didn't even glance at him to indicate he'd heard him, "If you fear for your old Master's life, know that Grievous shall be as easy to best as I can you," still nothing, not a reaction at all to the tease, "And when I return we can have a saber duel while walking on our hands, using just our feet instead…" he frowned, Anakin was just absently nodding along, not listening to a word he'd just said. He sighed, but then looked to the side, "Hello Amira."

"What?" Anakin looked up, turning to follow Obi-Wan's gaze, but saw that Amira was NOT there at all.

"Anakin, what's wrong?" Obi-Wan reached out to put a hand on Anakin's shoulder.

"Nothing, Master," Anakin tried to smile…but only managed a pitiful grimace instead, "I just…fear that you may need my assistance and I won't be there to give it."

"Oh, I agree," Obi-Wan tried to jest, but Anakin was too tense for that, "However, it _may_ turn out just to be a wild bantha chase."

Anakin nodded slowly and Obi-Wan could see his attention starting to be pulled away once more, "Anakin," he called once more, making Anakin look at him questioningly, "Speak to me."

Anakin sighed, "I am…conflicted, Master."

Obi-Wan nodded, guessing that Anakin was speaking of his new position that the Chancellor had appointed to him and how it made him feel in relation to the Order, "Anakin, you are strong and wise and I am _very_ proud of you. I have trained you since you were a small boy. I have taught you everything I know and you have surpassed me in seeking out knowledge and understanding that I could not provide you. And you have become a far greater Jedi than I could ever hope to be and you have saved my life more times than I can remember. There is not a single conflict or problem that I can think of that you would not be able to solve with time and deep thought," he eyed his former-Padawan, seeing that Anakin still seemed unsure, "If it becomes a puzzle you cannot solve, seek out Master Yoda. He is truly the wisest of us all and he is always willing to help guide us in our efforts. Speak to him Anakin or…speak to Amira."

Anakin almost flinched at that, "I don't think Amira would be willing to listen to me at the moment."

Obi-Wan frowned, "What did you do this time, Anakin?"

"Why do you always assume it was me?" Anakin huffed, a hint of playfulness, of years of similar teases coming to the surface.

Obi-Wan chuckled at that, "It usually IS."

Anakin nodded at that, though his expression grew grim, sad, and guilty, "Perhaps it was me," he murmured, "I…will try to speak to her, Master," he agreed, nodding more to himself than Obi-Wan, "There is something I think she needs to understand. But I will seek out Master Yoda as well. Having many perspectives is often the key to solving a problem in the best manner."

"Amira?" Obi-Wan guessed where that particular lesson had come from.

"Master Neeva," Anakin corrected, offhandedly remarking that it WAS Amira as the girl would have learned it from her Master.

Obi-Wan squeezed his shoulder, "Speak to whoever you need to, with caution and thought," he added, knowing that he should not encourage Anakin to speak to Amira about…certain things.

He had told Amira that he was aware of Anakin's feelings but had not told his own former-Padawan for a reason. Anakin had grown SO much in the last three years, truly becoming a young Jedi that any Master could be proud of, a Jedi he was sure Qui-Gon Jinn would have been proud of as well, and he and Anakin had formed a friendship, a brotherhood instead of a father/son or mentor/mentee relationship. He didn't want Anakin to see this as a betrayal, that he had confronted Amira and…implied that what he feared was happening should not happen. He could still remember how angry Anakin had gotten when he'd sent him back to the Temple instead of allowing him to stay and help with the Senator and, even though Anakin had matured much, he didn't want to stir up any ill feelings before this mission. He had gone to Amira as the more sensible of the two former-Padawans and been rewarded with exactly what he'd hoped and feared to expect.

Amira had not denied that she didn't love Anakin, she had only told him nothing had happened between her and Anakin. He had feared that, that the girl had come to care for Anakin as Anakin had her. But he also had hoped that Neeva's praises of her Padawan were true, that she was a fine example of a Jedi and she was. She wouldn't break the Code or let Anakin, he was sure of that. He had gone to her as the more reasonable of the two, and…sensing she was the one that held the fate of whatever it was that was between them in her hands. He had observed his former-Padawan often, the way he'd reacted three years ago to Amira told him that Anakin respected her enough to allow her to take the lead when it mattered most, he held back and trusted Amira's judgment, listened to her. If SHE didn't let anything begin, Anakin wouldn't force it. But he also knew his former-Padawan could be determined, stubborn, and patient as well when he wanted to be. He just…he needed to know that Amira would be strong enough to resist, and he was pleased and relieved that she was.

Only he and Amira needed to know anything was said about the matter.

"Thank you, Master," Anakin nodded, pulling Obi-Wan back to the present.

Obi-Wan patted his shoulder and turned to head towards the ramp of the ship that had been let down for boarding, "And don't worry!" he called back, "I have enough clones with me to take three systems the size of Utapau. I think I'll be able to handle the situation, even without your help."

Anakin gave a small smirk at that, "Well, there's always a first time," he gave his former-Master a bow of his head, "May the Force be with you, Master."

Obi-Wan nodded as well, "May the Force be with you," he held up a hand in a small wave before he turned and headed into the ship.

Anakin stood there, contemplating, thinking of what he wanted to say and who he needed to speak to first, till the ship lifted off and headed out to space.

~8~

Anakin sat before Master Yoda, looking down at his hands, his head bowed as the small green Jedi sat beside him, silently observing him, deep in thought.

"These fears you have," Yoda began after a moment, thinking on what Anakin had come to him for, "Lead you to the Dark Side, you fear they will?"

Anakin sighed and closed his eyes. He hadn't said…everything, he hadn't really said much. He didn't want to get Amira in trouble just because of him, because his future apparently included him murdering the Younglings and falling to the Dark Side. He didn't WANT to fall to it, but…he'd had a vision of his mother in pain and hurt and needing him and that had come true. Could visions of the future actually BE changed?

That was why he was here. He'd needed to speak to someone about it, about his fears, about the pull of the Dark Side that he…that he could feel. It was there, it called to him and he was just so afraid that he would fall to it, that he'd succumb to it. It was always there, niggling in the back of his mind, taunting him when he'd feel a flash of anger or jealousy or wounded pride. He pushed it down, he always managed to, but to hear Amira's vision, to know she STILL had the nightmares even now, and he knew she still had them, didn't that mean that it was still a possible future? As much as he hated to admit it, listening to the Chancellor, he'd felt that tug again, that desire to just give in, the little voice in his head that said it would be easier to join the Dark, that he could be happier…

But Amira, all she'd said, that her entire reason for not allowing them to love each other openly, even in secret, was to keep him from falling into that darkness, he couldn't do that to her. And he felt sick for considering it. He felt disgusted with himself that the woman he loved feared he'd give into it. Worst of all, he hated how _he_ feared he'd fall to it in the end.

"Yes, Master," he nodded, "I…there has been a vision I've been made aware of. One full of pain, suffering, fear, and death. And that…that _I_ am the cause of it. I am afraid that this vision will happen, that I shall fall to the pull of the Dark Side."

"Strong, you must be," Yoda advised, "Great the temptation to the Dark Side is. Find and grasp the Light, you must."

"I have," Anakin looked at him, "I…I HAVE found something that holds me to the Light Side. But I fear that I will lose it soon, that I may have already lost it, and without it the Dark Side will take me."

"Careful you must be, Anakin. The fear of loss is a path to the Dark Side."

"What must I do, Master Yoda?" he shook his head, "I wish to be strong, to know I can resist but…"

"Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose," Yoda said simply.

"I fear it is not that simple, Master," Anakin let out a breath, "If I let go of what I fear to lose…then I _know_ I will fall to the Dark Side. I cannot let go of her, Master."

Yoda fell silent, "In love, you are."

Anakin closed his eyes at that, bowing his head, knowing there was no use lying, Master Yoda would see through him as easily as he could Amira, "Yes, Master."

Yoda's lips pursed, "Against our way, that is."

"I know, Master," he swallowed, "I know Love is forbidden, the attachment it can form. But…I truly believe that attachment is what _keeps_ me where I am," he forced himself to look at Yoda, if he wanted to have even the hope of being with Amira one day, he would need to be able to make and argue and hold his case and reasons, "I…I am not myself when I am not with her, I am my worst self. When I AM with her I am _more_ than myself. She makes me want to be better, a better man, a better human, a better Jedi. For her. Just the thought of disappointing her…" he shook his head, knowing that he was spilling a dangerous amount to one of the Masters that could banish him from the Order for what he was saying, but unable to stop it now that he'd started, "I would sooner give my lightsaber up than disappoint her, sooner run myself through with it than hurt her. I feel so conflicted Master," he looked at Yoda pleadingly, "I feel like I am surrounded by darkness and she is the moon, lighting up my path, _keeping_ my path."

"If you lost her, what then?" Yoda shook his head, "To the Dark Side, would you not fall? Without your moon?"

"If I were forced away from her," Anakin began, "I do not know what would become of me," he told the Master openly, honestly, with such conviction that Yoda blinked, to hear Anakin confess that this woman he loved had such sway on him that without her he would be that lost, "I would lose my way. I know I would, if someone forced me from her before I could…"

"What?"

"Before I could love her as I wish I could."

Yoda was silent a long moment, "Love her, you already do," he told Anakin solemnly.

"Not openly," Anakin corrected.

"And if you could?" Yoda's eyes narrowed, "What, then, would become of you?"

Anakin opened his mouth to answer, before he blinked, his breath leaving him as a realization hit him so swiftly that he felt his entire world shift around him…

~8~

Amira let out a deep breath when she sensed a familiar presence behind her as she stood in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, her arms crossed over her, not meditating this time but just…looking at the main waterfall. Her thoughts were too turbulent, she knew she'd never be able to meditate about the events of just the day before. She knew that Obi-Wan had left earlier that day, had gotten his assignment and spent the last day preparing everything he would need to go after General Grievous. She'd been avoiding Anakin since then, she wasn't sure she could do it, face him, after what she'd said.

She had never felt so stupid before in her entire life, that she had openly admitted to him that she loved him. That had been the ONE thing she had sworn not to do, not to let slip, for the sake of both of them. If she didn't say it, it wasn't actually happening. But she had, and she could only imagine what Anakin would do now that he knew she did love him.

Yet…she had said it in a way that she hadn't thought would happen, if it ever happened. She had never intended to tell him about her nightmare, about how he had been the shadow in it. It had come out though, and now he knew. But he also knew that she'd been pushing him away to spare him from the Dark Side. Surely that had to be enough to keep him away from her. It HAD to be. She knew enough of him to know that he was as against the Sith as the rest of the Order were, and if he loved her as he claimed, he would leave them be, he would stop pursuing her, to protect them both.

But there he was, right behind her.

"Skywalker," she greeted shortly, not turning around even as he walked up to stand beside her.

"You were wrong," he murmured, "And here I thought you were always right."

She frowned but didn't glance at him, not trusting herself to do it, to be able to look at his face and have whatever conversation he clearly wanted to have, "How so?"

"You were denying that you loved me, because you thought it would keep us apart," he began, sounding as though he were speaking something he had only just recently realized, "You thought it would protect me from forming a stronger attachment to you through my love for you. And that it would keep me from falling to the Dark Side if something happened to you."

"I wasn't wrong," she shook her head, watching the water falling and feeling very much like she wished she could be the waterfall, the well of emotions in her that wanted to burst out just from being so near him and forcing herself farther away.

"You were," he turned to look at her, not disheartened even when she refused to turn as well, "Because, you see, it doesn't make a difference. I already love you, Mira, I am already so in love with you that…denying it, trying to keep us apart, all this pain we're both suffering, it won't change it. I'm already yours, I already love you, I already feel that attachment to you. If you were to…to die," he swallowed hard, "Right now, I would feel the same way now as I would have before you said you loved me too. Though I would rather be at your side to protect you than be apart from you and suffering in fear for you."

"And that's just it," she finally turned to look at him, tears prickling in the corner of her eye, "You love me and if I fall, if I died, the Dark Side would claim you."

Anakin looked at her for a long while, stared deeply into her eyes and had to frown a moment, "Do you really have such little faith in my love for you that you truly think I would tarnish your memory that way? That I would allow my love for you to turn to a poison that drags me down into the disease that are the Sith?"

"Anakin…" she shook her head, confused.

"Listen to me carefully, Amira," he reached out and took her hand, placing it on his heart, "I love you. I already love you. Whether you said it back to me or not, you are already a part of me and you will forever be a part of me, alive or…not," he couldn't bring himself to say dead, he just couldn't, not till this was over, not till she understood.

"Attachment is…"

"Can be good," he cut in, "A leaf would float away on a breeze if not attached to a tree. I would fall away to the Dark if my heart, my soul, my mind, were not attached to yours."

"And that's my point," she shook her head, "If something happened to me, if I died, that attachment would be severed. You _would_ fall away and…"

"No," he started to smile for some reason she wasn't sure of, "You are a part of me, Amira. I already hear your voice in my head when you're not there, warding away negative thoughts, casting aside bad emotions. I hear your voice in my head guiding me, offering me words of comfort and strength and peace. I hear YOU whenever I come near the darkness inside me, telling me not to do it, telling me to step back, to STOP. Like with Count Dooku," he tilted his head, bring up his other hand to touch her cheek, "I was going to kill him. I was. I had him on his knees, two sabers crossed at his neck, at MY mercy, I could have ended him easily, I wanted to, I was going to…but I heard you. I heard your voice in my head begging me not to, reminding me that I was a Jedi, that I wasn't an executioner, that I was better than what I had nearly become. I hear you, all the time in my mind. I feel you in my heart," he patted her hand on his chest, "I carry you there, wherever I go, wanting to make you proud, to make you smile, to keep you safe. It was agony to be away from you, helping my Master protect the Outer Rim settlements, but I did it because YOU would have wanted me to help, like a real Jedi would. That…that wouldn't change if something…if something happened to you. I hear you in my mind, hold you in my heart, and feel you in my very soul more profoundly when you aren't with me than when you are," he smiled softly, using his thumb to brush a tear that fell from her eye at his words, "I would not dishonor your memory, I would not fall to the Dark, my love for you wouldn't let me. Because to fall to the Dark Side would be to hurt you and _I_ would rather die than do that to you," he mimicked her words from earlier, "I will make you any oath you need to believe that. I will swear, on my mother's life," he looked into her eye, so she would know he was serious, "That I will NOT succumb to the Dark Side just for loving you. If anything, loving you will keep me from it."

"Anakin," her voice shook, "Even if…even if that proved true," she swallowed hard, "The Order would never allow us to be together."

"There have been exceptions in the past."

"Not like this."

"You're right," he just smiled at her, "There's never been an exception like this. But, then again, there's never been a Chosen One before either."

"Anakin."

"I promised you once, Mira," he cut in gently, pulling his hand from her face, "I will not give up on you, I won't give up on us. I will fight for us to be together, I just need to know, IF there was a way…" he held his hand out to her, "Would you fight with me?"

Amira looked from him to his hand and back, "The Code…"

"_IF _there was a way," he emphasized it, "If there was a way that held true to the Code, to our Oaths as Jedi, to our Order…do you love me enough to fight for it, for us?"

Amira glanced down at his hand and back to him again, searching his eyes as she had throughout his small speech to her, looking for the truth in it, for a hint of a lie, and only saw promise and truth. He meant it, he meant all of it, he really would swear on his mother's life to not fall to the Dark Side if it meant making her feel secure enough that she wouldn't lose him to it, that this risk wouldn't end badly. That had been her biggest concern, that he'd become a monster like the ones they fought against, because it would mean everything good in him shattering.

But he was standing before her, promising her that he would fight on in her memory, that he would honor her love for him in facing down the Dark and pressing against it. All her sacrifice in the past, to keep him from the Dark, to protect him, he was making an oath to honor it and not allow himself to fall into it.

His question, to fight for them, for their love, it wasn't just about that. His hand held to her wasn't just asking her to take it as a sign that she would stand beside him. It was a question of if she trusted that he would keep his word if something happened to her. Would she trust that he would hold true to his promises? Would she trust that he would be strong enough to push past the pain and loss and temptation of the Dark Side and truly honor her that way?

She let out a breath, her mind filling with every promise he had ever made her, all of them he had kept, all of them he had surpassed, all of them he had fought to the bitter end to see through, for her.

She closed her eyes a moment…

And reached out to take his hand.

Anakin sucked in a breath at that, making her open her eyes to look at him, "You do?"

The smile on his face would have made up for any doubts at how bright and full of hope and light it was.

"Would I have put us both through hell to protect you if I didn't, Skywalker?"

He rolled his eyes, "Oh, back to Skywalker is it?"

But before she could answer, he pulled her towards him by the hand, wrapping his arms around her tightly as he pressed his lips to hers, stealing her breath away as he kissed her deeply. Slowly she moved her hands up to his neck, draping them over his shoulders as he pulled her even closer, his arms squeezing her waist, neither of them breaking away until their minds were dizzy with a need for air. Though Anakin didn't let her get too far, resting his forehead to hers.

"What are we doing Anakin?" she breathed against him, not opening her eyes, not sure if she could handle realizing this was either a dream or reality, both were equally fraught with complications and pain.

"Fighting," he murmured.

"The Order?" she started to frown.

"The Sith," he countered, "Fighting the Dark, fighting their pull, holding firm to the Light," he squeezed her more.

Amira was quiet for a moment, before pulling away, looking up at him as he opened his eyes to peer into hers, "You said if there was a way," she hesitated, not sure she wanted to know, if she wanted to know that there wasn't and she'd just ended up in a worse position of actually breaking the Code or if there was a way and what that would entail them to do, "IS there?"

Anakin just smiled.

A/N: I don't plan to update this story as early as I posted it today. It was a combination of feeling bad that the last chapter was so late and the last two days of shoveling and moving wood with my dad left me REALLY sore. I had managed to get this chapter edited but I just couldn't stay awake or moving long enough to get my Doctor Who story edited so this chapter comes first today so I have a few more hours to get DW ready. All in all, this story should be updated around 2pm ish (Eastern Standard Time) from here on out. On the 31st only it'll be updated earlier (likely around 11am ish) and again a few hours later (around 3pm ish), but that should be all in terms of updating times ;)

As for the chapter...aww, bit of sadness at first, then lightness at the end ;) I can say there is going to come a point, very soon, where Anakin's new conviction to stay with the light will be greatly tested }:) We'll also see more of Yoda's thoughts on this as well, he didn't seem happy at all with what Anakin was saying, did he? }:)

I hope you liked the Anakin/Amira moment at the end, I sort of wanted Anakin to show her just how much even knowing her has changed him. That even when she's not there, he's still trying to be a better man for her and that he's swearing to keep that on if anything happened to her. Whether or not he'll actually be able to do it is another question }:)

Some notes on reviews...

Anakin's made a lot of promises to Amira, most he's kept, but we'll see if his track record really will hold up very soon };)

Anakin and Amira will have some...tough times to come, as for an exception...Anakin has a plan, but well, his plans don't always work out quite the way he hopes they will }:)

I don't have an active love interest for Obi-Wan in mind, but I do think he and Neeva would be cute if it both were less 'old school' Jedi and both were less set in the Code :) I think that might be what helped Amira 'break away' from it, that Anakin was questioning it and giving new perspectives on it :)


	6. Falling into a Trap

Falling into a Trap

Anakin stood behind the Chancellor in his office of the Senate building, his arms behind his back, his expression neutral as he listened to Senator Amidala and a few others pled with the man to step down from his position to all the Democracy to resume. He had kept his mind clear, his emotions muted, his senses sharp while he was around the man, everything depended too much on him pushing his bias towards the Chancellor as far away as he could. Having spoken to Senator Amidala about the Chancellor, he was not sure there WAS something to be wary of about the man. If someone who didn't even have the Force to guide them felt that something bad was happening, he would pay attention. And he had.

He'd mentioned that Obi-Wan had departed to take down Grievous, and the Chancellor had remarked that he hoped the Council hadn't made a mistake in sending Obi-Wan over him. He'd then continued to imply that Obi-Wan might have been influenced by others, by a female, that it would fog his mind. He'd assured the Chancellor that Obi-Wan was a strict abider of the Code and would not succumb to something like that, being very careful not to let any hint of his own emotion about Amira to slip into his voice. He might have failed however, for the Chancellor had implied it was Neeva that Obi-Wan had become fond of to the point of distraction. It left him feeling like the Chancellor has made up that 'rumor' he'd heard solely to make him more aware that he WAS aware of his feelings for Amira, bringing their Masters into it.

So he'd fallen silent, hardly speaking as they reached his office, and was very thankful when six Senators came to request an audience with him, it would give him more silence and more time to think. He would be expected, as a Jedi protector, to only observe from the side and not get involved or speak up, to be as non-disruptive as possible, practically invisible, which suited him fine.

"I understand your reservations completely, Senator," Palpatine smiled genially at those gathered before him, "And I assure you the appointment of Governors will in no way compete with the duties of the Senate."

"May I take it then, that there will be no further amendments to the Constitution?" Padmé inquired.

"I want this terrible conflict to end as much as you do, My Lady, and when it does I guarantee an immediate return to democracy…"

Anakin couldn't help the slight frown at that, even he could tell that the Chancellor hadn't answered the question. It was a simple one, yes there would be more amendments or no there wouldn't. Yet he'd gone for a more vague answer.

"You _are_ pursuing a diplomatic solution to the war, then," Padmé pushed.

Palpatine nodded, "You must trust me to do the right things, Senator. That is why I am here."

Anakin glanced at him, another vague half-answer. 'Do the right thing' could have many different connotations to it, a diplomatic solution, to Palpatine, might not be the 'right thing to do' in his mind, what if another solution to the war was stirring in his mind? He was starting to see what others had been trying to tell him, the Chancellor was giving answers that didn't incriminate him or hold him to one expectation, while also making them something the other wanted to hear. He had to wonder how much of what the man had said in the opera house had been temptations of things he 'just wanted to hear' about how he could be with Amira instead of the truth.

"But surely…" one of the other Senators began.

Palpatine turned with a hard look, "I have _said_ I will do what is right, that should be enough for your…committee."

If Anakin hadn't been listening as intently as he had, trying to sense the Chancellor's intentions in his words (and having a difficult time of truly working out what it was, the man seemed adept at covering even the smallest quiver of his voice) he was sure he might have missed the hint of a sneer in the man's last word.

"On behalf of the 'delegation of two thousand,' I thank you, Chancellor," Padmé bowed her head in thanks, as though sensing that they were losing his goodwill towards them.

Palpatine gave her a grandfatherly smile, "I thank you for bringing this to my attention, Senator."

Padmé and the other Senators stood, turning to leave, though Anakin caught the hard look on Padmé's face and knew she wasn't happy with the meeting, nor were the others.

Palpatine was silent for a long while, turning to Anakin only when the delegation had left his office, "Their sincerity is to be admired, although I sense there is more to their request than they are telling us."

Anakin frowned at that, "What do you mean?"

"They are not to be trusted."

Anakin schooled his expression into one of cautious curiosity, "Surely the Senators are only trying…"

"These are unstable times for the Republic, Anakin," Palpatine cut in, "Some see instability as an opportunity. They are hiding something. I can see it in Senator Amidala's eyes."

"I'm sure you're mistaken," Anakin tried to smile and shake his head.

Palpatine merely sat back in his chair, observing him, "I'm surprised your Jedi insights are not more sensitive to such things."

Only the last few days of preparation kept him from reacting to the taunt, for that was what he saw it to be now, a taunt. The man was trying to bait him into defending his senses, into making him think that he'd missed something, that he wasn't powerful enough just yet or that he should be able to tell something…something that just didn't exist. He knew that the Chancellor wanted him to start questioning what was happening around him and, while HE personally wouldn't have reacted the way he knew the man wanted, would have wanted to merely bow his head and accept it and say that he would always be working to make himself more attuned to the Force as other Jedi did even after becoming a Knight, he knew that wasn't what the Chancellor wanted.

"I simply don't sense betrayal in them," Anakin stated simply, glancing in the direction the others had gone, forcing his gaze to linger more than was necessary, long enough to come across as hesitation.

"Yes, you do," Palpatine remarked, "But you don't seem to want to admit it. There is much conflict in you, Anakin," he sighed, seeming saddened by that.

Anakin merely bowed his head as the next appointment of the Chancellor's arrived, thankfully allowing him more time to contemplate the situation.

~8~

Anakin was…not in the best of moods come as he headed for the Chancellor's office, the sun just starting to set through the windows. He had been called in to a Council meeting and been informed that Obi-Wan had made contact with Grievous, that the attack was about to happen and, hopefully, the General would be taken down once and for all. He had been instructed by Master Windu to report the information to the Chancellor with the express remark that the man's reaction would reveal his intentions.

Even now, even with all he knew of the man and what others thought of him, what HE was coming to think of him, a part of him didn't want the man's reaction to be what the Council feared it would be. But, then again, he was sure even the Council hoped the reaction would be different than what they expected. They didn't WANT to be right about this, it would mean so many other complications if the Chancellor turned out to be what they feared. It would mean the Dark Side was gaining a foothold against the Jedi, it would mean the Chancellor had become corrupt by power (and wouldn't it be reasonable? He himself had said that those with power feared to lose it and would do anything to keep it, and the Chancellor himself had an enormous amount of power!) and would need to be forcibly removed from office if he didn't relinquish his power once Grievous was defeated. And even HE knew enough about politics to know that would mean the Council itself would have to move in and take control of the Senate in order to do it, would have to forcibly remove other Senators that were corrupt and replace them…

And that would be seen as exactly what the Chancellor had been referencing to him all this time, that the Jedi were the corrupt ones and trying to take over. Even if he knew it wouldn't be like that, the others, the Republic only knew what the Chancellor had decreed.

He paused before the doors to the Chancellor's office, taking a breath, needing to calm his heart and mind, he had started getting the feeling that the Chancellor could read him too easily, and he would not allow a vulnerability to be exploited, not this time. He smiled, thinking about Amira for only a moment, before he let out his breath and entered the office, "Chancellor!" he called, striding right to the man as he sat at his desk, "We have just received a report from Master Kenobi. He has engaged General Grievous."

"We can only hope that Master Kenobi is up to the challenge," Palpatine smiled, chuckling slightly, "I would have more faith if you had been there with him, though."

"I would wish to be there as well," Anakin agreed, thankful he could speak the truth of that at least, "He was my Master and I owe him much, I would be there to guard his back and ensure he is successful."

"It is upsetting to me to see that the Council doesn't seem to fully appreciate your talents," Palpatine remarked, "Don't you wonder why they won't make you a Jedi Master?"

He knew why he hadn't. To be a Master you had to have taught a Padawan and had THEM reach the rank of Knight. He had not, not successfully at least. He HAD been assigned a Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, a female Togruta, and she had been exceptional. She was skilled and determined and eager to learn, they had seen many missions together and she had saved his life as many times as he had saved his own Master's it felt. But she had been framed for a bombing and fled despite him believing her to be innocent, having been banished from the Order as well. She had been caught in a trap and brought to trial, was acquitted when the true bomber had confessed, yet she refused to rejoin the Order afterwards. So his Padawan had never taken the trials and so he was not a Master yet.

It was the same reason why Amira wasn't a true Master either even though he knew she was more than qualified to be one (well, she DID still have areas she would need to work on before she could be termed a genuine Master by other Jedi's standards, but he thought she would be an incredible Master). She hadn't been assigned a Padawan learner at all.

But he knew that that wasn't what the Chancellor was speaking of, right now he was referencing how he'd appointed him to the Council and that it had been accepted without giving him the rank of Master.

"I cannot say," Anakin answered diplomatically, unable to help but think of Amira in that, every time he spoke so he thought of her and her lessons, "There are things the Council speaks on that I am not privy to, as I am not a Master…"

"It is not that you are not a Master, Anakin," Palpatine sighed, giving him such a look of sorrow and pity, "It is that they don't trust you. They see your future. They know your power will be too strong to control. Anakin, you must break through the fog of lies the Jedi have created around you," he stood, sounding as though he were pleading for someone he genuinely cared for, that he was seeing an injustice happen and couldn't abide by it any longer, "Let me help you to know the subtleties of the Force," he gestured to the door and began to walk out of the office, Anakin with him as they moved down the halls.

"How do you know the ways of the Force?" Anakin inquired.

He had…considered it, questioned it, when the man had first brought up the legends of the Sith. It had been a niggle at the back of his mind at the time, but hearing him speak more and more of the Jedi he couldn't help but wonder. At first, he'd thought it was merely because he had so much contact with them, so many interactions that he HAD to know the Jedi as well as he did, that he had gleamed so much information about the Force from his ties to the Council and the Jedi he had known in his life.

But that talk of the Sith? Before he'd been willing to accept that something was wrong, when he'd started to speak of how the Sith allowed the things the Jedi didn't, he'd been…cautious in his reasoning. He was ashamed to admit that his friendship with the Chancellor had likely made him consider the least evil of reasons for him to know of the Sith and how they operated. He and Amira had been present with the Chancellor and…he could admit that he had a difficult time hiding his affections for the girl when he was around people he felt he could trust…which were not many people. Around complete strangers and around those he trusted not to say a word, he was freer with his looks and touches and compliments.

Surely a man as observant as the Chancellor would have noticed, surely he would have worked out the true depth of his feelings for Amira. And, if the man knew the Jedi as well as he did, if he cared for HIM as much as he claimed…perhaps he'd looked into ways that the two of them could be together without shattering everything it meant to be a Jedi and stumbled upon the alternate sister-society of the Sith. He had truly thought, for a brief moment, that the Chancellor had researched the Sith as an option for him if he and Amira wished to be together.

It had been foolish, he knew that now. There was no way that the man would have been able to find out ALL that information in such a short time and seem so familiar with it.

"My mentor taught me everything about the Force," Palpatine began, "Even the nature of the Dark Side."

Anakin stopped dead, "You know the Dark Side?!"

It should have been less of a shock than it was, it really should have. But…even in his wildest ponderings, he'd never considered that the Chancellor WAS a Jedi of some sort. He hadn't sensed anything like that off the man and normally all Jedi could recognize others even when in disguise. It had to take some sort of skill he didn't know to mask himself in the Force as he clearly had.

"Anakin," Palpatine sighed, facing him, "If one is to understand the great mystery, one must study all its aspects, not just the dogmatic, narrow view of the Jedi. If you wish to become a complete and wise leader, you must embrace a larger view of the Force. Be careful of the Jedi, Anakin," he paused, studying Anakin, seeming to debate what he should say next, "They fear you. In time they will destroy you. Let _me_ train you."

Anakin shook his head, stepping away, "I won't be a pawn in your political game. The Jedi are my family."

"A family that would forbid you to be happy," Palpatine reminded him, "A family that would tear you away from the one you love. A family that would cast you both out if they had any idea how you felt about each other. Anakin," he stepped closer, "Only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi, only through me can you learn the ways of the Dark Side of the Force," he looked at Anakin intently, "Only through me and my teachings will you be able to be with the one you love as freely and fully as you wish. The Order would do all they can to stop your love growing, but the Sith would allow you to flourish…"

"You're a Sith Lord!" Anakin stepped further back, grabbing his lightsaber and igniting it, preparing himself for a duel.

"I am," Palpatine didn't deny it, "I know our ways as equally as I know yours. And I beg you, Anakin, listen to me. Don't continue to be a pawn of the Jedi Council! They will never allow you to be complete."

"Complete?" Anakin shook his head.

"How you feel when you are with her," Palpatine smiled, "That is how you feel, isn't it? Like you are whole?" Anakin was silent, "The Order will never allow it, if you stay with them, you will be forced to spend the rest of your life in slavery to them…"

"The Order is not Slavery," Anakin nearly spat, he had been a slave, he KNEW what that was.

"Yet they forbid you to own anything, they forbid you to love, they assign you missions and choose where you go and who you have contact with. They force you to call them Master and submit to them, to never argue, to do as you're told, they even strip your emotion from you. They would sooner your love be torn out of you than allow you to be with her. Anakin…"

But Anakin shook his head, it was not slavery. Yes, he called his Master 'Master' but as respect that had been earned, as an apprentice would a craftsman and not to humiliate himself or to show a sign of power. They owned nothing so as not to form attachments, not because their Masters wanted it for themselves. The missions were to save lives, they were a sign of the Council's trust and faith in you that they believed you could handle it. They were allowed to argue, with respect, and their emotions were not stripped away but used to guide them to the light, to what was right and good and just.

He CHOSE to be a Jedi, he chose to be a part of the Order, he chose to accept all the rules and guidelines and expectations that would come with it…he had been forced to be a slave on Tatooine with no freewill or choice of his own.

He could have left the Order any time he wanted, he still could. He could leave them and do as he pleased…but Amira wouldn't, and, if he were being entirely honest, neither would he. They had both spent too long training and dreaming of being Jedi to leave. It was why he was doing this, why he was fighting to find a way for them to be together while still being in the Order.

"Ever since I've known you, Anakin," Palpatine continued, "You've been searching for a life greater than that of an ordinary Jedi, a life of significance, of conscience…"

"No," Anakin shook his head, "You're wrong."

He was so very wrong, he might have been like that at first, thought himself better than other Jedi in many ways…but he'd been shown that, in many other ways, he was less than them, that he wasn't ready, that a life such as that would destroy him.

Palpatine was silent for a long while, before his gaze flickered to the lightsaber in Anakin's hand, "Are you going to kill me?"

"I would certainly like to," Anakin muttered, and that was a truth. The man had been manipulating him, or trying to, all this time, had lied to him, had tried to use Amira against him, and now a Sith Lord was in charge of the entire Republic! He was a Jedi! He was meant to protect the Republic from just that!

"I know you would," Palpatine started to smirk, "I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger."

Anakin wanted to lower his lightsaber, to show the man just how little his anger could control him now, just how much more sense and strength he had than that boy the man still thought him to be…but instead he raised his saber, looking very much as though he were about to strike, before he brought it down to his side once more, "I am going to turn you over to the Jedi Council."

"Of course you should," Palpatine nodded, "But you're not sure of their intentions, are you?" he hummed, eyeing Anakin, "What if I am right and they are plotting to take over the Republic?"

"I will quickly discover the truth of all this," Anakin stated, though he doubted Palpatine was right, the Republic had already been taken over by the worst sort.

"You have great wisdom, Anakin. Know the power of the Dark Side. The power to do as you wish. The freedom to be with who you wish," he gave Anakin a long stare before sighing and turning to head back to his office, not even looking back, as though he KNEW Anakin would not strike him down even then, "I am not going anywhere. You have time to decide my fate. Perhaps you'll reconsider and help me rule the galaxy for the good of all."

Anakin just turned and strode away, a smirk coming to his face as he went.

~8~

Anakin quickly made his way through the loading docks near the Jedi Temple, searching for one of the Council members and nearly ran when he spotted Master Windu leading three other Jedi towards a gunship, "Master Windu!" he hurried into the hanger, "I must talk to you."

"What is it, Skywalker?" Windu turned to him, "We are in a hurry. We have just received word that Obi-Wan has destroyed General Grievous."

"That is…wonderful news, Master," Anakin blinked at that, a weight of concern lifting off his heart to know his former-Master had been successful.

"Indeed. We are on our way to make sure the Chancellor returns emergency powers back to the Senate."

"That is what I must speak to you about," Anakin grew serious, "He _won't_ give up his power. I've just learned a terrible truth. I think Chancellor Palpatine is a Sith Lord."

Windu's eyes widened at that, "A Sith Lord?"

He nodded, "Yes. The one we have been looking for."

"How do you know this?"

"He knows the ways of the Force," Anakin told him, "He has been trained to use the Dark Side."

Windu was silent a moment, looking at Anakin intently, "Are you sure?" he asked, his voice low, if this was true…it would change everything.

"Absolutely," Anakin remained firm.

Windu let out a breath at that, "Then our worst fears have been realized. We must move quickly if the Jedi Order is to survive."

"Master," Anakin stepped forward, "The Chancellor is very powerful. You will need my help if you are going to arrest him."

"We cannot risk…"

"Master," Anakin cut in, his voice resolved, "He represents a threat to the Order. I have been training nearly my whole life to be an asset to it. Please," he looked Windu in the eye, "Let me help. Let me prove that the lessons and the guidance of the Order has not been in vain."

Windu could only return his gaze with a hard, unyielding look of his own.

~8~

Anakin ran as fast as he could down the hall to the Chancellor's office, slamming the door open and stopping dead at the sight before him, Palpatine and Master Windu dueling with lightsabers just on the edge of the office, near the windows that had been shattered entirely, both of them dangerously close to the edge of it, the three other Jedi that had accompanied Windu lying dead around the room. A moment later, Palpatine glanced over at Anakin, allowing Windu the opportunity to knock his saber from his hand, leaving the Master panting from exertion.

"You are under arrest, My Lord," Windu glared down at Palpatine.

"Anakin!" Palpatine cried, reaching out for the boy who was watching the scene unfold in horror, "I_ told_ you it would come to this. I was _right_. The Jedi are taking over!"

"You old fool!" Windu spat at Palpatine, "The oppression of the Sith will _never_ return. Your plot to regain control of the Republic is over! You. Have. Lost!"

"No!" Palpatine sneered at Windu, "No! _You_ will die!" he raised his hands and Anakin watched in shock as lightning shot out, racing right for Windu. But the Master raised his lightsaber, using it to block the attack, forcing Palpatine to slide back towards the shattered windowsill. Palpatine gasped, but held his lighting attack going even as he shouted at Anakin, "He is a traitor, Anakin!"

Windu glanced over to see Anakin standing there, looking between the two men, "He's the traitor. Stop him!"

Anakin took in the sight, Palpatine locked and trying to push Windu back with the lightning, unable to defend himself if an attack came at him…and Windu who was using all his effort to grip his lightsaber and hold it firm in an attempt to block the attack, unable to retaliate more than that.

"Come to your senses, boy!" Palpatine cried, "The Jedi are in revolt. They will betray you, just as they betrayed me!" he shoved himself forward, pushing the lightning more firmly at Windu, pushing himself to add more and more power to his attack, "You are not one of them, Anakin! Don't let him kill me!" he grit his teeth, Anakin shaking his head as Windu began to scream in pain from the attack, but Palpatine wouldn't release it, "I am your pathway to the freedom you crave! I have the power to give you the one you love. You must choose. You must stop him!"

"Don't listen to him, Anakin!" Windu began to push back, struggling but managing, stepping closer and closer to Palpatine, very nearly forcing the lightning back at the man.

"Help me!" Palpatine begged Anakin, "Don't let him kill me. I can't hold on any longer!" he stumbled back, screaming in pain as the bolts of lightning began to reflect back onto him as Windu pushed him closer and closer to the edge of the window, unable to fight it.

Anakin nearly stepped back in horror as the lightning seeped into Palpatine, starting to warp and disfigure his face. He grew paler, deathly pale, right before Anakin's eyes, his skin wrinkling, his eyes turning yellow as the power fed back into him, all the darkness that he'd needed to conjure the lightning now being forced back into his body.

"I can't…" Palpatine moaned weakly, "I give up. Help me," he fell back against the base of the window, reaching out to Anakin, "I am weak. I am too weak. Don't kill me," he looked up at Windu, panting, shaking, unable to defend himself, "I give up. I'm dying. I can't hold on any longer…"

He was completely at the mercy of the Jedi Master before him.

Windu stepped closer, his own body shaking from the exertion of the duel and holding back the Force Lightning, standing over Palpatine with his lightsaber still activated and clutched tightly in his hand, "You Sith disease," he almost snarled at the fallen man, "I am going to end this once and for all!"

"You can't kill him, Master!" Anakin rushed forward at that, "He must stand trial!"

"He has too much control of the Senate and the Courts," Windu shook his head, "He is too dangerous to be kept alive."

"I'm too weak," Palpatine wheezed, turning his head to look at Anakin pleadingly, "Don't kill me. Please…"

"It is not the Jedi way," Anakin swallowed, stepping up more, "He must live!" Anakin shouted as Windu raised his lightsaber, preparing to strike.

"Please don't, please don't…" Palpatine wept.

"Master, please don't" Anakin called to Windu, but the man moved to strike the fallen Chancellor down regardless, "No!"

And, before anyone could react, Anakin leapt forward, throwing his hand out…

Sending Master Windu flying through the window and falling towards the ground.

Anakin stood there, his eyes wide, staring at his hand, his mouth open, his body starting to shake at what he'd just done.

"Power," Palpatine's voice called to him, making Anakin look over at the man though no other part of his body moved, the Chancellor didn't sound nearly as weak or pitiful as he had moments ago, "Unlimited power…" before he started to cackle.

"What have I done?" Anakin shook his head, stumbling back from the window, lowering his arm and clutching his hand to him, falling back onto the ground, breathless, staring out the window.

"You are fulfilling your destiny, Anakin," Palpatine slowly rose, standing over him in all his glory, "Become my apprentice. Learn to use the Dark Side of the Force."

But Anakin was silent, still just staring at the window, unseeing.

Palpatine moved into his line of sight, kneeling before Anakin and placing a hand on his shoulder, startling him to look up at him, "Learn from me, Anakin. I will guide you. I will teach you and you shall gain unimaginable _power_," he smiled, "Power enough to do as you wish, to be with who you wish. Become my apprentice and you will have the freedom you desire, you and Amira can be together, forever," he tilted his head, watching as Anakin seemed to consider it, "You cannot return to the Order," he added as reminder, "Not after the events of tonight, not after Master Windu's demise. They would cast you out, kill you even for what has happened here."

Anakin closed his eyes at that, his breath leaving him at the reality of the situation.

"You cannot return to the Order, but that does not mean all your training must be in vain. Join ME, Anakin, join me and I will help you," he smirked internally, "I will help you save your love."

"What?" Anakin looked up at him, his eyes wide in fear at what the man was implying, that something was endangering Amira.

"Surely others have…noticed…your affection for her," Palpatine hummed, taunting him subtly as well, "When they learn of what you have done here, what will become of her? Will they not consider she was a part of this? That she led you down this path? Will they not turn on her as they will you? Her life is in as much danger as yours is from them," he doubted the Order would go so far as to threaten her life for Anakin's actions, but the boy was clearly in shock and upset and vulnerable to a few…gentle manipulations, "They will use her, Anakin, to get to you. They will use her as bait to trap you, use her to trick you and manipulate you…they will turn her against you."

"No…" Anakin shook his head.

But Palpatine nodded, "They will use her, Anakin, as surely as they would have used you," he stood, "There may be a way to save her…but you will need help the Jedi cannot give. Help that_ I_ can provide you."

Anakin looked up at him, staring Palpatine in the eye as his jaw clenched, determination setting in to him, "I will do whatever you ask," he told the man, "Just help me keep Amira safe. I can't live without her. I can't let her be harmed because of me. I need her safe."

Palpatine smirked, "If we work together, I know we can protect your precious love."

Anakin swallowed hard and moved onto his knees before Palpatine, "Then I pledge myself to your teachings," he closed his eyes, "I pledge myself to the ways of the Sith."

"Good," Palpatine nodded, stepping closer to him, "Good. The Force is strong with you. A powerful Sith you will become," he reached out and placed a hand on the back of Anakin's bowed head, "Henceforth, you shall be known…as Darth Vader."

A/N: ...should I run and hide?

Probably...so...um, all I can say is...well, story's not over yet };) And...see ya! -runs away!-

Some notes on reviews...

I can say we'll find out what Anakin said to Yoda and Yoda's response to his epiphany very soon ;)

I'm going mostly from the movies, I don't have the books no :( But thank you for the information! :)

We haven't seen the last of Dooku nope }:)

We'll have to wait and see what Yoda might do about Anakin and Amira and if they'll get an exception or not...this chapter...well...doesn't look good at the moment }:) I can say that the Padawan topic for Amira will be brought up very soon }:)

We'll definitely see Yoda's thoughts on all this, along with Obi-Wan's, Neeva's, and even Windu's :)

I think Amira took it as a failure as she was assigned to stop the controls and 'failed' to do that as well as 'failed' to trust Anakin could handle Dooku without needing to look back constantly, but then, at the same time, if she hadn't looked back, she wouldn't have seen him need help :)

Oh we haven't seen the last of Neeva or her thoughts on this ;)

I probably won't do a lemon, I don't really feel comfortable with scenes like that. I've tried to write one or two in the past and it just felt very awkward to me :/ I sort of feel like my OCs are my babies and, not only do I not want to think of my babies doing that (lol) but also I have this weird respect for them, even though I know they're not real, that I'd rather them have moments like that in privacy and behind closed doors :)

I think, with Dooku, it was a combination of the man being dangerous and knowing he was a threat to every one (including Amira) to be kept alive. Sort of like here, with Windu and Palpatine, 'he's too dangerous to be kept alive' :) I sort of take the Force and the feelings people get from it to be similar in a small way to how prophecies or genie wishes can be, unclear and twisted at times. Like Obi-Wan may feel everything will be alright in the end. But that end could mean that, in general, the Republic is safe but his former-Padawan and Amira are dead :( In general, everything IS alright, but the events that lead up to it could get very bad :( Yup, the two Jedi did exist :) I was researching past examples of Jedi that fell in love and found that case of Star Wars comic of that event Palpatine described :) I'll check out the quote, thanks :)

I'm accepting PMs, I fell way, WAY behind due to not having internet for over a month :( I'm trying to respond to them as quick as I can but it's like for every 10 I answer, 15 new ones pop up lol :) I might (might) consider disabling my PMs at the start of February till I can catch up to them and then enable it again, but I'm not sure, PMs are usually how people contact me in case plagiarism happens, so I'm currently accepting, but it's taking me a very long time to get back to people :(


	7. An Exception to the Rule

An Exception to the Rule

"Thank you," Anakin lifted his head to look up at Palpatine, "My Master."

Palpatine grinned, stepping back and gesturing for Anakin to stand, "Rise, Darth Vader," he turned to the chair of his desk, pulling a black cloth that had been hanging off the back of it around his shoulders, revealing it to be a dark cloak with a wide hood, "Because the Council did not trust you, my young apprentice, I believe you are the only Jedi with no knowledge of this plot. When the Jedi learn what has transpired here, they will kill us, along with all the Senators."

Anakin's jaw clenched, "I agree. The Jedi's next move will be against the Senate."

"Every single Jedi, including your friend Obi-Wan Kenobi, is now an enemy of the Republic," he looked at Anakin as though trying to discern even a hint of hesitation in the acceptance of such a fact, "You understand that, don't you?"

"I understand, Master, everyone except Amira is my enemy."

Palpatine's lips pursed at that addition but he let it pass for now, understanding how important that girl would be in keeping Anakin tied to the Dark. He could play along for now, as though he would actually help the boy protect her, make it seem as though he were, assure him of the measures he would take…and organize for her unfortunate demise, perhaps at the hand of a Jedi, plant the seed in Anakin's mind that it had been his former-Master, or even the girl's former-Master. Yes…yes, that would be an exquisite way to ensure Anakin stay in the Dark, to make the Light the executioners of the woman he loved.

"We must move quickly then," he nodded, "The Jedi are relentless, if they are not all destroyed, it will be civil war without end. First, I want you to go to the Jedi Temple. We will catch them off balance. Do what must be done, Lord Vader to…free your love," he barely refrained from sneering the last word, "Do not hesitate. Show no mercy. Only then will you be strong enough with the Dark Side to ensure you can protect her."

"What about the other Jedi spread across the galaxy?" Anakin inquired.

"Their betrayal will be dealt with," he assured Anakin, "After you have killed all the Jedi in the Temple, go to the Mustafar system. Wipe out Viceroy Gunray and the other Separatist leaders. Once more, the Sith will rule the galaxy, and we shall have peace."

"I am powerful, Master," Anakin began, "But I do not doubt the Jedi will fight if I attack them alone."

Palpatine nodded, "I will supply you with a battalion of Clone Troopers, yours to command."

"May I ask, Master, how will the other Jedi be dealt with?" Anakin tilted his head, bowing it a moment later when Palpatine hesitated, "If there is any way I can help eradicate the traitors to the peace, please let me know."

Palpatine grinned darkly at that, "There IS something I could only entrust to you. I want you to put a signal out to the other Jedi," he continued, "A beacon to return to the Temple."

"To return, Master?" Anakin frowned at that.

"We must have them off balance wherever they may be," Palpatine explained, "They must receive the beacon and be concerned enough to become distracted from their own safety, their guard put down as they rush to return to the Temple. And then," he laughed, "Their numbers will be cut down."

Anakin gave a small nod at that, "The signal must come first," he determined, "Before our plan to end the other Jedi is set forth."

Palpatine nodded. He hadn't been planning to use the beacon as a distraction, but the more he thought about it, and with how eager Anakin was to help him, it would be _perfect_, it would accelerate the plans if he waited just long enough for the beacon to be sent out, would give the other Jedi less of a chance to fight back.

"I will do my best, Master, to ensure the beacon is released once the Temple is under our command and the Jedi eliminated," Anakin promised.

"I am sure you will, my apprentice," Palpatine smirked, "Now go," he gestured at the door, "The battalion will meet you for your march on the Temple."

"Thank you, Master," Anakin bowed his head, "For your trust in me."

And with that, Anakin turned and walked out of the room, careful with his thoughts, with his feelings, careful to hold himself exactly as he should as a Sith Apprentice, making his way out of the Senate building and over to the now-abandoned Gunship that the Jedi had taken to the Senate building…

~8~

Amira stood at a window of the Temple, staring out into the night, the Younglings behind her, all of them silent, as though sensing something was about to happen. The other Jedi had gathered them in there without a word as to why, before Amira hurried in only a short while ago and moved right to the window, not speaking a word either, which wasn't something any of the children were used to. So they all fell silent and tense, watching her intently from across the room.

Amira half-held her breath as she stared out, seeing something in the distance…a battalion of Clone troopers marching towards the Temple, with one figure in a distinct Jedi garb leading the way. She bit her lip, shaking her head as she watched, forcing her mind to recall everything that Master Yoda and her own Master had informed her of only moments ago, before the alert had been put out through the Temple. She had immediately come there, to the Younglings, her heart pounding away as she watched the battalion come nearer and nearer, till their leader grew too close to the Temple for her to be able to see them any longer.

She turned away from the window, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes a moment, her mind racing with thoughts of what this could all mean, her heart cracking within her as it screamed at her that she needed to have faith, she had to believe in Anakin. He had promised her, he had sworn he would not let himself fall to the Dark Side, not over her, he had sworn on his mother's life that he wouldn't…she HAD to believe that it would hold true, she had to…otherwise she didn't know what she would do. She let out her shaky breath and pushed off the window, moving to the center of the room, on the way to the door, only to stop when she sensed a familiar presence approaching the door and fell frozen as fear gripped her, a fear of what she might see before her when the door opened.

Would it be her nightmare?

Or would it be her Anakin?

The door opened, and Anakin was standing there, his lightsaber beside him and she had only a single moment to notice it was deactivated before it was being dropped to the ground as Anakin rushed over to her and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, breathing only two words into her ear.

"It worked."

~8~

_"Were you successful?" a voice spoke from the shadows of the Jedi gunship the moment he set foot onto it._

_Anakin looked over in the direction of the voice and nodded, "The Chancellor is entrusting his plans to me," he bowed his head a moment, "I apologize, Master, for throwing you out of the window."_

_An actual chuckle sounded as Master Windu stepped into the light, "It was necessary to gain his trust."_

_"Now I must only hold it long enough for the Order to stop him," Anakin agreed, a determined look coming to his face as he turned to Windu, serious, "He wishes me to march on the Temple, to cut down the Jedi. He has placed a Battalion of Clone Troopers at my command and given me an order to place a distress call from the Jedi Beacon to call the others to return to the Temple."_

_Windu grew grim at that, "Then we must make haste," he turned and began to activate the communications to the Temple to relay the message as Anakin moved to pilot the gunship back._

~8~

_"Let me help. Let me prove that the lessons and the guidance of the Order has not been in vain."_

_Windu could only return his gaze with a hard, unyielding look of his own._

_"Please," Anakin repeated, "You admitted me into the Order for a reason," he reminded the man, "Let me serve my purpose, let me restore Balance to the Force, let me help you stop the Sith once and for all."_

_Windu could see the determination in his gaze, "Are you prepared to do what is necessary, Anakin?" he asked, dead serious, "How far are you willing to go to ensure this?"_

_"As far as needed," Anakin replied without a moment of hesitation, "I will do anything to keep the Dark from winning and casting the Galaxy and the Republic into shadow."_

_Windu nodded, "The Chancellor trusts you, but does he trust you enough?"_

_Anakin swallowed hard, "I don't believe so, Master, I have…been hesitant to listen to him. I think he senses that. I think he senses my reluctance to be swayed."_

_Windu actually smiled at that, "Your strength and resistance is to be commended, Anakin," he reached out to touch Anakin's shoulder, "I fear, however, in this…you may have to submit to him."_

_"Master?" Anakin frowned._

_"We must convince the Chancellor that you have joined his side, that you are loyal to him, we MUST learn what his plans are," Windu squeezed his hand, "You must do whatever is necessary for him to believe that, whatever is necessary. Do you understand?"_

_Anakin grew more determined than ever, "I understand."_

~8~

Anakin breathed in Amira's familiar scent, unable to help but smile against her neck as he swayed slightly, his mind racing about everything that had happened. He'd confronted Master Windu about the Chancellor, revealed him to be a Sith Lord and pled his case to be able to help them. It had been a trap, the entire thing, a trap to get Palpatine to admit to what he was. He had had to be careful, the moment he knew that the Chancellor was of the Sith, he'd needed to be twice so. Master Windu had requested he stay at the gunship for two minutes before joining them in the Chancellor's office, to act as though he'd been forbidden to join them.

Everything from that point on was a jumbled mess in his mind, it had happened so quickly. He'd had to make it seem like he wasn't sure which side to help, so he'd hesitated, stayed away, watched as the Chancellor begged for him to help. Master Windu had been exceptional in his performance as well, knowing he'd needed to give Anakin a reason to turn against the Jedi, such as trying to execute the Chancellor when he was unarmed and weak. The Chancellor had tried to get him to do the very same to Dooku, had seen him step back with the claim that it wasn't the Jedi way. His words to Windu had been the same, an echo of that to make the Chancellor think THAT was the reason he had stopped Windu, because it was against the Jedi way, to make the man think that he was seeing how 'corrupt' the Jedi had become in that one action of Windu's. As though the man, as though any true Jedi, would execute someone like that, it should have been a clue to the Chancellor but he seemed far too pleased that Anakin had thrown the Master out the window, he hadn't even considered that Windu wasn't as weary as he made himself seem to be, that he could use the Force to slow his 'jump' from the Senate building, that he could use the Force to manipulate other objects to help him not crash to the ground.

And afterwards, the 'shock' of what he'd done, the way he'd tried to 'resist,' he had to let the Chancellor think he was winning, that he was succeeding in manipulating him to the Dark Side. Bringing up Amira, the man should have known better. ALL that bringing her up had done was remind him WHY he was doing this, why he truly had NO desire at all to join the Dark, why he was 'pledging' himself to it at all. He needed Palpatine to trust him, and who else would a Master trust but their apprentice?

It had been a ploy, the entire thing, a dangerous and risky trick, but one that had paid off, it had worked! And the Chancellor had just handed over an entire battalion of Clone Troopers to the Jedi's custody, all of them having been instructed to obey his commands, so, when they'd arrived at the Temple and he'd ordered them to lay down their weapons, kneel, and place their hands on the backs of their heads, ALL of them had done so without a moment of complaint. The Jedi had been summoned to help detain the Troopers as proof of the Chancellor's attempts to be used later.

He held Amira tighter to him, "It worked," he repeated in a whisper.

"I know," Amira smiled, her voice shaking, "I knew you could do it."

She'd had no idea that Anakin was taking on this risk and this mission until Neeva had cornered her before, when the entire Temple was on alert that the troopers were coming. She'd explained that Anakin had gone to the Chancellor to try and gather information from the man, to stop whatever plans he might have…but now he was marching on the Temple with a battalion of troopers. She had defended him, said that there must be something else going on, even as the Jedi around her appeared to have little idea of what was actually happening, what would be coming to face them. She had sworn on her honor as a Jedi that she did not believe that Anakin had fallen to the Dark Side as the Temple seemed to fear, had done so so vehemently that her Master almost seemed disappointed in her, as though she were letting her feelings for Anakin cloud her judgment. But it wasn't that, it was his promise, the promise he had made on his own honor as a Jedi. She needed it to be real and true and for him to keep it, she needed to know he would keep it, he had never given her a reason to think he wouldn't keep a promise to her in the last three years. So while the entire Temple had seemed sure that Anakin was preparing an attack, she had gone to the Younglings and based herself there.

Because as sure as she was that he hadn't done what everyone feared, she was wise enough to know that things could happen, that everyone could be pushed to the Dark Side with the right manipulations and she knew that Palpatine had ample experience doing just that. She was not going to risk the Younglings just because of her hope and faith. IF she was wrong, she would take a stand there, her nightmare spurring her on to do just that. She was wise enough not to blindly hope but to hold for even the possibility that she could be wrong. She had told Anakin the very same when he was dealing with Palpatine, to investigate if he was innocent but be prepared to accept he could be guilty. It was the same and she would be a hypocrite to not even consider in the smallest sense that something had happened to drive Anakin to the Dark even with her still being alive.

Amira pulled away, about to touch Anakin's cheek…when there was a tug on her robe that had her looking down at the curious eyes of one of the Twi'lek younglings, "Why are you holding Amira?" the little girl asked Anakin.

Anakin blinked and quickly stepped back, "Er…Master Neeva requested her presence," he said, before taking her hand and quickly hurrying out of the room with her, not using the best excuse he possibly could but right now all he could think of was getting her back in his arms and the Younglings would soon forget about the odd incident.

He pulled her into the hallway, yanking her into his arms the moment the doors had closed behind him, kissing her right there, not caring if another Jedi might be walking past at that very moment, just…needing this, needing to know he'd done the right thing, that he'd come back to her and to the Light and resisted the Dark.

Amira let out a gentle breath when they parted, resting her forehead to his, "They said you'd gone to confront the Chancellor," she murmured, her eyes fluttering open to look into his, her hand coming up to touch his cheek, "But they didn't say anything else. What happened?"

"Master Windu and I devised a plan to trick the Chancellor into thinking I was on his side," he told her, "We…staged a falling out," he smirked at that, chuckling slightly as though he'd just made a joke she didn't get before continuing, "The Chancellor tried to manipulate me, he…he tried to use you to do it," he told her quietly, "Tried to make it seem like the Dark Side would allow us to be together, that the Dark meant Freedom from the Code while still maintaining the duty of a Jedi," he shook his head, "With how much you fought to keep me from the Dark, I didn't fall for it."

She frowned a moment, "If you didn't fall for it, then how did the Chancellor come to trust you enough to give you a battalion?"

He swallowed hard, looking away.

Her frown deepened at that and she guided his face back to her, "Anakin."

He let out a breath, "I had to pledge myself to him, to the Dark Side," he told her, before adding quickly, "It was a ruse! Of course, it was a ruse! I only did it to make him think he had my loyalty. I only did it to get the information the Order needed to stop him," he moved to cup her cheeks with both of his hands, "It meant _nothing_, it was an empty oath, one I _never_ plan to fulfill. I am…where you are, and you are light, my light."

Amira blinked at that, a small smile coming to her face. She opened her mouth to say something but couldn't think of a single thing she could say to that that would describe what she was feeling, so she leaned in and pressed her lips to his, pouring every bit of feeling into the kiss as she could.

When another voice cut into the moment.

"Skywalker," Neeva called, making Amira freeze in place, her body going rigid in his arms, her eyes wide as she stopped breathing at being caught by her former-Master in such an intimate embrace with Anakin. The two slowly turned to look at the woman, her expression neutral as she took them in, "The Council requests your presence," her gaze flickered to Amira, "BOTH of you," before she turned and walked away, leaving them little choice but to follow.

~8~

Anakin and Amira stood before the Council, both of them mimicking the other's posture and pose subconsciously, their backs straight, hands behind their backs, attentive as they looked at those gathered, both in person and in hologram form, such as Master Yoda and Obi-Wan and a few others, Master Windu being there in person.

"Anakin," Master Windu turned to Anakin, "Please inform the Council of the Chancellor's plans."

Anakin nodded, "He had tasked me with marching on the Temple, with…cutting down every Jedi in my way, no one was to be spared, not even…" he swallowed, glancing at Amira a moment and back, "Not even the Younglings. He wished to destroy the Order entirely, to obliterate it. He has a plan, I don't know what, to eliminate the other Jedi across the Galaxy. He wanted me to put out a message in the Jedi Beacon, a distress call to lure them back to the Temple. He wanted them distracted and for their focus to be on their return instead of themselves. I managed to have the Chancellor agree that his plan wouldn't continue until the Temple was taken and the message sent out."

"Bought us time, you have," Yoda remarked.

"But how much of it?" Obi-Wan sighed, rubbing his face, he had JUST finished taking out General Grievous, was on his way back to the Temple right that moment after receiving a transmission about this change in events he knew he couldn't waste a moment to return.

"He knows the skill of the Jedi, he will not expect it to be an easy fight," Anakin answered, "At most…we may have till morning before I would need to contact him with my report of what is occurring in the Temple. He would know that I would try to keep this as quiet an attack as possible, use subtlety, take over the Temple quickly and secure _everything_ before reporting or sending out the distress call."

"I will speak to the Clone commander," Master Windu offered, "See if I can get him to speak of what the Chancellor's plans were after the Temple was seized."

Amira looked around as the Council fell silent a moment, not sure why she too had been brought in, but taking a breath as she wanted to help, "If there is anything that I, or Anakin," she gestured at him as he nodded, "Can do to be of assistance to the Council, I wish to offer it…"

"Done enough, you have," Yoda sighed.

Amira blinked and frowned at that, not sure what to make of it, "Master?"

"You did not think we called _you_ into this meeting for no reason, did you?" Master Windu turned to Amira, who opened her mouth as though to speak but closed it with a small shake of her head.

"There has been much…discussion, about you," Obi-Wan told them, looking at them with a neutral expression, though Anakin frowned, seeing what he might have called a glimmer of a smile on Obi-Wan's face in his hologram, "About your…attachment to one another."

Amira and Anakin stiffened at that, glancing at each other and then back to the Council, both opening their mouths to speak, when Master Windu held up a hand to silence them.

"Considered much, we have," Yoda began, "A decision, we have reached."

"A decision?" Amira breathed, not sure what they could have decided, what there was to be decided. She was sure she and Anakin didn't even know what was really happening between them for the Council to feel the need to think on. A part of her didn't want to admit that there was, very much, something that the Council had every right to know about and have a say in though.

"You are both aware of the Jedi Code," Windu began, "Of our way of life, our edicts and orders and rules. The Code forbids attachment, prohibits love, both of which…you two have created between each other," he grew serious, "Do you deny it?"

Anakin looked at Amira, his face as neutral as she had ever seen it as she returned his gaze. But her breath caught in her throat as he saw the look in his eyes, the look that told her that it was up to her. If she wanted to deny it before the Council, if she wanted to hide it, reverse it, pretend it didn't exist, sever it, whatever she wanted to do…he would agree to it. He would break his own heart as she had so many times to make her happy as she had done to protect him. He was willing to do that for her…and as she looked at him, she realized…

She couldn't do it anymore.

For three years she had suffered in silent agony every day, every moment for being away from him, parted from him. For three years she had tried to push him way despite the pull towards him that grew stronger with each attempt. For three years she had stuck to the Code with everything she had, the Code had been her entire life, the way of the Jedi was what she dreamed of as a child growing older. For so long she'd thought that her mind and her heart were at war, that her mind wanted to be a Jedi while her heart wanted to be with Anakin…

Looking at him now, she realized it wasn't true or right. Every part of her wanted to be with him, every part of her wanted him to be happy and safe. She had thought herself a danger to him, but he had proven that he was stronger than anyone, even she, had given him credit for, that he had as much, if not more, honor and dedication to the spirit of the Jedi Code as the Council did. Right now, she knew, there could be no more denial, her heart couldn't take it and her mind, her conscious, wouldn't allow her to lie to the Council about this.

"No," she took a breath, turning to face the Council once more, releasing a hand from behind her back, seeing Anakin do the same out of the corner of her eye to take his hand, "We cannot deny it," she swallowed hard, "We have tried to abide by the Code, to honor the way of the Jedi, and we have…we have failed," she stated.

"We submit ourselves to the decision of the Council," Anakin added, squeezing her hand, "We have disobeyed the teachings of the Jedi and we accept whatever consequences you deem appropriate."

Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile as he looked at the young man before him, so different, so much older and wiser, than the boy that had been his Padawan. He was taking responsibility for what he'd done wrong, he was willing to follow the Council and respect what they said.

"And if we were to determine that the two of you should be banished?" one of the other members called.

"Then we shall go," Anakin agreed, "We shall leave the Order, but," he glanced at Amira and smiled even as he felt her shaking, that was truly one of the worst punishments, that everything they had worked so hard to achieve would be stripped from them, "We would carry the spirit of the Jedi and all of their other teachings with us."

"We would honor our Masters," Amira nodded, "And continue to protect life and fight for the peace and safety of the Republic, in any way we could."

Master Windu looked like he almost wanted to smile at that, but kept his expression blank, "And if we separated you?"

"I don't think that's possible, Master," Anakin looked back over at the man, growing more serious than any of the Council had ever seen him, "Amira…I know in my heart, is the reason I have not fallen to the Dark Side," he smiled at her, "Her faith, her love, her light…it keeps me from straying, like a moth to a flame I could never leave her and not fall to darkness."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan began cautiously, "You know, you've heard tales, of Jedi that have succumb to love in the past, of what became of them when those they loved were taken from them."

"When those they loved were _killed_," Anakin corrected, "There are many ways to 'take' someone away. Separation," he squeezed Amira's hand, "I could not survive, I could not bear to be unable to love her, to be forced away from her in such a manner. I would…grow to resent the thing that keeps us apart."

"And if she died then?"

"I would fight on in her name, in her honor, in her memory," Anakin declared, so sure that the Council couldn't help but believe him, "I would stay in the Light, because that is where her memory is. That is where she would want me to be."

"Amira, and you?" Yoda looked at her.

"I have forcibly kept myself from Anakin for…years," Amira admitted, letting the Council know just how long they'd felt for each other yet continued to do exactly as was expected of them enough for the Council to only be having this discussion now, "I have already experienced that separation. I would endure," she glanced at Anakin, "But I would not be whole, I would not be able to fulfill my duties the way a true Jedi should," she turned back to the Council, "If he were to die…the Council need not fear my fall to the Dark."

"And why's that?" Windu frowned.

"I do not believe I could endure without him," she said simply, but solemnly, "I…cannot imagine a life without Anakin. I do not think I would stand idly by," she added so they didn't think that she meant she would take her own life, "And watch him be cut down. I would fight to protect him, I would fight to stop the attack, but if he fell…I do not believe I would have spirit or heart enough to fight as I would need to to survive."

The Council fell silent at that.

"The answers, as we expected," Yoda mused, looking at his fellow Jedi Masters, "The same, our decision is?"

Amira and Anakin frowned, seeing the Council members nodding to themselves, mumbling in agreements, "Master?" Anakin glanced at Obi-Wan, not sure what to make of the man's solemn smile.

"Jedi are not to form attachment," Master Windu began, "Nor fall in love, nor wed…" he sighed, "But the Council has deliberated much on the…bond between the two of you. In very RARE times, an…exception might be made," he gestured towards Ki-Adi-Mundi who bowed his head, one of the members of the Council that was, in fact, married…to 5 women and had children due to the low birthrate among his people.

"And…that is what you have decided?" Anakin asked, not entirely sure he believed it just yet.

"We have agreed, Anakin," Obi-Wan offered, "That the bond between you is strong and…it is necessary, for balance to remain in the Force. It is clear to us that Amira's presence in your life is fixed and beneficial to you, that to sever your bond with her would not be wise nor would attempting to do so. For the sake of the Jedi Order, the Council has agreed to allow the two of you to be."

"With certain restrictions," Windu added, seeing their eyes lighting up, their expressions morphing into one of shock, and couldn't help but shake his head slightly, more at the situation than them.

If someone had come to him even one month ago and told him that they would be allowing not just two Jedi to unite, but Anakin Skywalker, he would have thought they'd lost their mind. He...wasn't entirely happy about this, he had been one of the most vocal against this exception. He couldn't help it though, what they were planning went against the Code. But, as he'd brought up, there WAS a rather large exception sitting just beside him. He had concerns of his own that everything would fall apart. Love and attachment almost always led to the Dark and Anakin had proven himself to fall victim to its sway when what he was attached to was in danger. He had been there when Master Yoda had had a vision, three years ago, that he'd explained as Anakin wishing to slaughter a group of aliens. He had been shocked by it, to hear that the boy, the Padawan at the time, had wished such disturbing things, even after learning that the aliens had tortured the boy's mother. He had seen the horror in Master Yoda's eyes as he explained the hatred and anger he'd felt from Anakin, so powerful that it echoed through the Force and had shaken it.

But he also remembered Master Yoda stating that something changed, that Amira had prevented the travesty that would have happened. She had gotten him to step back, had been able to push the Dark away from Anakin and keep him from murdering the aliens as he wished to do. Master Yoda had mentioned that Anakin's fate rested with Amir and it made him very uncomfortable and wary and cautious about allowing this. If Anakin had felt that way just for his mother being harmed and needed Amira to pull him back…what would happen if they allowed this and Amira was injured or died, if she wasn't there to stop him? Wouldn't he fall to the Dark Side entirely? He had been very adamant that they should be separated due to that, that the threat of the Dark in Anakin if Amira were harmed was too great.

He had been swayed in the end, by Master Yoda of all people, and it seemed the green alien had been right. Sitting there, hearing Anakin declare that he would not allow the Dark to take him as it would taint his memory and love for Amira was…a relief. He wasn't sure he entirely believed it, no one knew just how tempting the Dark was, how powerful anger could be, until they truly experienced that loss. Anakin might think himself strong enough to resist if Amira were cut down before him, but in that moment, in seeing it, in feeling that pain…one could never be sure. He could, however, admit to himself that he had more faith in Anakin now than he had before. Anakin had explained what Palpatine had offered him, what he'd tempted him with and taunted him with to try and seduce him to the Dark after he'd been shoved out the window. And there Anakin was, still on their side, still helping them against the Dark, having done exactly what was needed to allow them this advantage.

If he was strong enough to resist a Sith Lord like Palpatine, then he just might be strong enough to keep the Dark from taking him if Amira were harmed.

"Anything," Anakin stated.

"Anakin," Amira gave him a look for that, for how quickly he had spoken.

"What would they be?" Anakin backpedaled, to the amusement of the Council.

"Take Padawans you may not," Yoda stated, serious, "Masters, you shall never be."

Amira let out a breath at that, Anakin squeezing her hand tightly for it. Both of them had worked towards being Knights of the Order as it had been their dream to do so, to surpass that and share their knowledge, to eventually become true Masters. He knew, especially, that Amira wanted to be able to teach the Younglings, that she had enjoyed their 'lessons' together the last few years and was looking forward to having a Padawan herself, so much. He used to jokingly offer to give her Ahsoka while he'd been training her, whenever his Padawan had an attitude or seemed frustrated with something he couldn't work out, he would suggest she seek out Amira and she often came back better for it. He knew she had a gift for teaching, that she wanted a Padawan so badly…

And now she was being denied the chance of EVER having one, because of her love for him.

"Never?" Amira swallowed.

"In place of children," Obi-Wan offered, a small, apologetic smile on his face, Neeva had told him how badly her former-Padawan wanted a Padawan to train, "The Council accepts the fact that, in being together, children may result from the union."

"Children?!"

A few members of the Council chuckled at how both Amira and Anakin had gaped that out, how pale and wide eyed they'd gotten. Certainly that was never a thought among Jedi, not traditionally, Padawans yes, children no. But they had had to think of that, recognize the possibility that children may arise. And they'd had to consider carefully what to do if they were conceived.

"The Council understands children may result," Obi-Wan repeated, "They will not be…entirely removed from you," he grew serious, "They _will_ be raised in the way of the Jedi, they will be trained by OTHER Jedi," he added, pointedly, "The Council will _not_ allow you to train your own children, they cannot be your Padawans, as you would be creating a…legacy within the Force, you may not have Padawans."

It wasn't meant to punish them, truly it wasn't. They were going to allow the two a chance to raise their children, as much as possible while they were being trained and taught by other Jedi. It was more to prevent jealousy or negative feelings forming in the children. Masters and Padawans had a sacred bond, a close one, almost like a parent and a child would. To see their parents forming such a bond with another child, to be forbidden to be trained by their parents and, as a result, see their own sacred bond being replicated in others...it could lead to dark thoughts. It was to protect the children as well as the parents, this stipulation. Perhaps there would be a chance to reconsider it later, after the children stopped coming, after their own children were old enough to take Padawans of their own, they may think on this again. But for now, this was all they could do to protect the future of the Order as well as see just how willing the two Jedi were to be together.

Amira and Anakin glanced at each other for that, they hadn't considered children at all. They truly didn't know how to process this, that if they had children they would be trained by other Jedi but, it appeared, their children wouldn't be cut off from them entirely. They'd only mentioned trained by others, they said nothing about giving them up. The Council was implying they'd still have some sort of hand, whatever it might be, in raising their children, in caring for them. And they hadn't said anything about practicing with them on the side, like the two of them had practiced lessons with each other.

"Any others?" Anakin asked weakly, still trying to work through the notion of children.

"You shall not be able to take a partner on missions," Master Windu nodded, "You will be paired together on all missions. The Council assumes that, as your bond grows, you will become more prone to distraction when apart more so than when together, that you would be stronger together, more determined to protect each other and more focused to see a mission successful and operate with more caution if the other's life were at stake."

Amira and Anakin had to nod at that, they'd proved that already, according to their Masters. That they were more distracted when they were on missions than they normally were, that they were more focused when back at the Temple…when the other was there. They had both proven that they were more cautious when the other's life was concerned as well, not wanting to see the other harmed had made each of them more careful about what they said or did around others.

"Loyalty to the Order, you must swear," Yoda finished, "Leave, you cannot."

Within that was an implied promise to stay with the Light Side as well. That had been his own greatest fear, Yoda could admit. Hearing Anakin speaking of how he'd fallen in love, how…dependent he was on the one he loved to remain good. It was jarring and shocking and it made him uneasy to hear, that so much depended on one single life in keeping Anakin from falling and being consumed by the Dark. To put that much weight one something else could only mean worse consequences should it fall.

He had tried to make Anakin realize what would happen if the bond and attachment continued to grow. He had heard the boy speak of how he might fall to Darkness if he were prevented from being with her, had heard a genuine fear in his words instead of a threat that he would turn to the Dark Side if unallowed to be with Amira. He had wanted Anakin to think of how much worse it would be, how certain his descent to the Dark would be, if he and Amira were able to express their love and then he lost her to death after.

He had truly been surprised.

Anakin had gained an expression of such…revelation that it had made him curious what the young Skywalker had realized, what epiphany had struck him so severely. Anakin's answer had shocked him even more than his admission that he'd fallen in love. The boy had been adamant that he would refused the Dark if Amira died after he could express his love, because if she returned his love the way he did her, then her love would sustain him. He had truly sounded absolutely vehement and disgusted to even consider the thought that he would tarnish her memory or let the love he felt for her turn to poison and fall to the Dark. He had expressed that Amira's entire intention had been to keep him from falling to that pain and anger and hatred, that, after how hard she fought, he could not and would not allow himself to dishonor her belief in him by doing what she'd fought so hard against.

If he could love her openly, if he lost her, he would fight on in her memory, he would fight on for her and be the Jedi she would want him to be, on the Light Side.

He had realized then, that the vision he'd had so many years ago, when he'd felt a shift in the Force, had been the love between Amira and Anakin forming and cementing. The fate of the Chosen One rested on Amira, on her tethering Anakin to the Light. And he realized, Anakin was right in both his statements, that to part them now and forbid the love to grow would only make Anakin more vulnerable to the Dark, and that the boy loved her enough that if he could just experience and keep that love with her, he would never fall to the Dark for love of her.

So he had called a Council meeting to discuss what to do, what should be done, about the bond between the two Jedi. He had spoken to every Council member, including Amira's Master as well, all of them needing to understand the two Jedi, to consider the consequences, to consider what would happen if they DID allow this.

The consensus had been reached…it was a lesser of two evils to allow them to be together.

Either make one exception to the Code and allow this love, or hold true to the Code and drive Anakin to the Dark.

Looking at the two now, he was sure they had made the right decision, and the next words spoken only reaffirmed that.

"We do not plan to, Master," Amira agreed easily to the last condition, if they wanted loyalty to the Order, to swear that they would never abandon it, she would be all too happy. She hadn't wanted to leave the Order, had feared banishment from it almost as much as being separated from Anakin.

"We will swear any oath you wish to confirm our dedication and loyalty to the Order," Anakin agreed.

"Your loyalty to the Order, we do not doubt," Yoda shook his head, "Not after today."

Anakin smiled at that, "Thank you Masters," he looked around at them, "For giving me the chance to prove myself to you."

Obi-Wan smiled at that, recalling how Windu had contacted him and Master Yoda to inform them of Anakin's desire to help, how they were going to attempt to get the Chancellor to reveal his plans to them. Master Yoda had continued after that to express his thoughts on Anakin and Amira, asking his opinion of it as, apparently he'd spoken to quite a few in the Council and outside it to request their thoughts on it. He hadn't been able to take part in the Council's official meeting to discuss as he'd been dealing with Grievous at the time. He'd been…shocked, to hear from Master Yoda about his former-Padawan.

Anakin had, apparently, done as he'd suggested and gone to Master Yoda about his confliction with his feelings over Amira. Had revealed something as well that had made Master Yoda consider allowing the relationship. For Master Yoda to consider it, he knew that the bond between the two had to be stronger and more important than he'd originally thought. So he'd been honest about his thoughts. He'd spoken of how he knew Amira was responsible for the change in his Padawan, the maturity that was growing daily in him, the increase in his humility and humbleness. He expressed his gratitude that she cared for his former-Padawan as genuinely as she did, that she would no sooner see him fall to the Dark than break what it meant to be a Jedi. He was sure that Amira had fought admirably to keep Anakin at a distance, but that his former-Padawan was determined and dedicated when he wanted to be.

He expressed that…if it were ever possible for them to be together, without risk of the Dark Side tempting them, without risk of shattering the core of the Code and the way of the Jedi, that he…would wish to see it. Amira made Anakin better, he had said that and he believed it. It seemed something Master Yoda had considered deeply, something Anakin himself had mentioned as well. Amira made him a better Jedi and Anakin made Amira better skilled. Anakin had once told him that she got him to look at things a new way, from the perspective of an actual Jedi, he knew the reverse was also true, he got Amira to see things from the point of view of an actual human, as a normal person. They made each other stronger and better and if they could be together, he thought, he genuinely did, that there would be no stronger partner for either.

When Yoda had mentioned that he suspected, for the sake of the Force, that they should allow Amira to stand with Anakin he had been shocked. The Jedi were meant to protect life and keep peace, they would be destroying it if they condemned the two to be apart. They would be tormenting both daily, they would be causing strife in their hearts, and, if the Dark Side took them in their resentment…it would only lead to ruin. Anakin had told Yoda that he felt that he would fall to the Dark Side without Amira, without being able to love her, and he hadn't said it as a threat but as a genuine fear. And that was enough for Yoda to consider allowing the union, to maintain balance and to keep their Jedi from falling to the clutches and the disease that was the Sith.

"Rest," he called to Anakin and Amira, "For an hour or so at least," he looked around the Council for confirmation that it would be acceptable, "You have been through much Anakin, the both of you have," he glanced at Amira, "The Council will continue to debate what to do next to stop the Chancellor, there is little that you can do at the moment till we determine what the troops would be commanded to do."

The Council nodded at that, dismissing Amira and Anakin for the moment, the two stepping into the hall, only to be greeted by a smiling Neeva, "The Council was favorable then?" she looked at her Padawan.

"With conditions," Amira nodded, "But yes," she smiled, "They were."

Neeva moved over and hugged the girl tightly, "I had hoped they would be," she pulled away, smiling at Amira, "They called me to Council earlier, before word came from Obi-Wan that Grievous had been defeated."

Amira blinked, realizing something, "You spoke for us?"

Neeva reached out and touched her cheek, "I have never seen you suffer as openly as you did for young Skywalker," she told the girl, "If that was what took you just being separated from him now, I could not imagine how much worse it would grow. I did not wish to see it continue. You are a strong woman, Amira, and you have a firm heart, you are loyal and dedicated and I knew that loving Skywalker would not sway you from the path of the Jedi."

It had been difficult, to stand before the Council and tell them truly what she thought of her former-Padawan and the bond she shared with Anakin Skywalker. Difficult as she truly didn't know what to say or why they were asking. She knew that her former-Padawan had broken the Code and, as such, consequences would follow. But at the same time it wasn't done without regret and guilt or even done with intention. Amira had been so broken over it, so upset and so angry and disappointed in herself for it, she had felt that was punishment enough. She had trained her Padawan well, a true Jedi she was, carried the Code in her heart, kept the Order in mind at all times, strove to truly be a good Jedi. Amira took it seriously and for her to realize she'd broken one of their rules, it had torn the girl apart. No one could be harsher in punishment or reprimand than she was with herself at that moment.

She'd wanted to protect her student, defend her, try to make the council see that she regretted it and she was trying to do the right thing. She had told them exactly that, explained her breakdown in the training room, let them know exactly how long that Amira had felt as she had. Once the girl had calmed down she'd managed to explain that it had happened, or started to, before Geonosis and was just made worse after it. She'd related everything Amira had told her, about how SHE had been the one to initiate first, with a kiss of relief, but how she had tried to make amends and adhere to the Code after that, how for three years she and Anakin had fought to remain true to the way of the Jedi but that they couldn't any longer.

She had tried to explain Amira's fears for Anakin, that she had done all of it to keep him from falling to the Dark, that it had been her greatest concern. She knew the Council had feared the same, had watched Anakin more closely due to the weaknesses in his character that could tempt him to the Dark, Obi-Wan had remarked on it enough for her to know how the Council felt about the thought of Anakin going Dark. She wanted them to know Amira had concerns for it as well, had made it her goal not to let him fall there, that she'd done all she could to prevent it. She expressed her own fears for Amira as well, not that the Dark Side would tempt her should something befall Anakin but that…she just wouldn't survive without him. She would try but even if she lived she'd never be the same, she'd be empty, hollow, less of a Jedi and more like a droid if she had to describe it. Amira had told her of Anakin's promise not to fall to the Dark Side and she liked to think she knew Anakin well enough to know that even if he held to his promise he wouldn't be the same either. He would shut down, he WOULD stay on the Light side, but he wouldn't have the heart that a Jedi needed. Neither of them would be the same if they lost the other.

She tried to put to words the changes she saw in both Knights, how they'd grown stronger and better for being together. She could say, quite confidently, that them being together would not change them but in fact, she believed, make them even better than they were. Because they'd been apart and still managed to grow, their bond still remained firm. They had proven their dedication to the Order in fighting what they felt and it would benefit the Order to allow them to be together, it would strengthen them and their loyalty to the Jedi as well if they were permitted this chance to be together. To keep them apart forcefully would destroy them both. They'd been parted through their own efforts and it had tormented them for three years. To do so more and with a third party interfering would drive them away from the Light and further from the Order…or it would do that to Anakin, and if he left, Amira would be broken, she would blame herself and she needed to protect her Padawan.

A Master and Padawan had a sacred, deep, and profound bond, one built on mutual respect and trust and care. Her Padawan had exceeded her expectations and proven herself over and over, had honored her. It was her turn to do the same and put her trust in her student that she had thought this out and that she knew what could come from it.

So yes, she had spoken for them, as best she could while still being true to her own beliefs in the Code. She DID think that attachment and love could lead to the Dark, it COULD, but it did not always mean it would. Sometimes...sometimes love could be stronger. She'd even cited past Jedi that had fallen in love, lost them, almost fallen to the Dark but pulled out in the end due to their love. And she stated her belief that Anakin would do the same. The man she saw with her former-Padawan now was not the same arrogant and angry boy he had been years ago, now he was a true Jedi.

It appeared the Council saw that as well.

Amira smiled at that, tears in her eyes, "Thank you, Master."

"Very, very much," Anakin agreed.

"Thank your Master too," Neeva looked at Anakin, "When he returns. He spoke for you as well," Anakin nodded at that, "Now," she stepped back, "You two should rest, I will come and wake you when Master Windu has gathered his information from the Troopers."

"Thank you, Master," Amira repeated, the two of them bowing their heads and walking away, towards the dorms.

Amira turned when they reached the hall of them, about to let go of Anakin's hand to move to her room, when he tugged her back into his arms and pressed a kiss to her lips, smiling when he rested his forehead to hers a moment after.

"Stay with me," Anakin whispered to her and she looked up at his eyes that were slowly darkening as he stared at her, making her shiver, "Please," he smiled a bit, "Now that we can be together, there is nothing that can keep us apart."

Amira bit her lip, knowing that the Council probably hadn't meant for them to start right on their lives with the blessing they'd been given by the other Jedi…but she knew that in only a few hours there would likely be war, the Chancellor would only be patient for so long, the Senate was in shambles, and so much rested on what Master Windu could learn and how much longer Anakin could keep his ruse with Palpatine going. Despite the Council granting them this exception to live their lives together…there may not be a life to live if things grew darker than they already were.

She had spent the last three years living every single moment of it with regret in her heart for pushing Anakin away, she didn't want to feel that way a second longer.

So she squeezed his hand tighter and led him towards her room instead.

~8~

It was dark, everything was fuzzy, but suddenly an image cleared, revealing a Clone soldier standing, its arm extended before them as it looked at a small hologram of a figure in a robe.

"The time has come," a voice echoed, sounding very much like the Chancellor's, "Execute Order 66."

"It will be done, My Lord," the soldier nodded.

The moment the hologram disappeared as the connection cut, the Clone soldier turned, raising its weapon and fired…

Striking a Jedi nearby in the back…

Amira sat up with a gasp, clutching the sheet of her bed to her chest as she panted, her eyes wide as a horrible feeling of dread crept into her. It had barely been half an hour since she'd fallen asleep, she'd never fallen asleep so quickly before, but then again she had never been quite so tired…nor felt so safe. She had hoped, now that she knew her vision would never come to be, that it had been prevented, she would not dream nightmares or visions ever again, she hadn't expected to either. But she could recall Master Yoda's words about when she'd struggled to meditate, that she needed to feel safe to fully open her mind to the Force.

She had never felt safer than she had the last few hours, and it had allowed her another vision, she was sure it was, the feeling of dread that swept through her, it wasn't fading like normal but instead growing stronger, like a part of her knew it was coming and coming quickly.

"Mira?" Anakin's voice spoke beside her as he woke with a start, quickly sitting up and pulling her to him, "You're shaking."

"So are you," she swallowed, able to hear his heart racing against her ear as he cradled her head to his bare chest.

"Nightmare," he murmured.

"Vision," she corrected.

"No," he shook his head, "It won't be," he pulled away slightly, looking down at her, "Was yours?"

"I don't know," she swallowed, taking a breath, "But we need to go to the Council, now. I think…I think I know what the Chancellor is planning, I think I know what Master Windu needs to extract from the Troopers."

"What?"

She just looked up at him, repeating the only thing she could clearly remember from her nightmare, vision, whatever it was, "Order 66."

A/N: It was a trap! :) Yay! :) I was hoping the title of the last chapter would be vague enough to leave you wondering if Anakin fell into Palpatine's trap...when really it was Palptaine falling into the Order's ;)

I know that it is VERY much against the current Code for Jedi marry, but doing research, there HAVE been exceptions made in very rare circumstances, one of the Jedi featured IN the prequel films is married and has 5 wives, as mentioned in this chapter. I felt, if Amira became the thing that ties Anakin to the Light Side, the Council, with the threat of Palpatine being a Sith and nearly in control of the Galaxy, would be willing to do anything to keep him with them and against the Sith and would allow the exception. The lesser of two evils and all.

Of course, there ARE conditions and restrictions and consequences for doing so. Neither of them can ever be a Master now :( Neither of them can take on a Padawan or teach them from this point on, their own children would be placed with other Jedi as their Master, they are forbidden to leave the Order so if a time came where they wanted to walk away for whatever reason they can't, and no matter what they will be partners on missions in the future, meaning even if they have a fight and are at odds they're stuck together and, if Amira ever does fall pregnant no missions for Anakin because she wouldn't be going on them.

I hope you all liked the different thoughts on the relationship :) We'll also be getting another chapter in about 4-5 hours ;)

So, just to touch on half the reviews (Anakin turning Dark) and the other half (it's a trick!), I hope you liked the little twist :) It was definitely a trick and a trap that Anakin and Windu planned :) Anakin's little smirks were him being happy that he was getting information out of Palpatine that would help the Order :) He definitely was doing it only to find out Palpatine's plans, he won't be turning on Amira and the Light or the Order, not after this chapter especially :) It seems the Sith are the only ones that can offer 'freedom' :)

Now we just have to wait and see if they'll be able to work out Order 66's specifics in time to help the Jedi or not }:)

Some notes on reviews...

We probably won't get another sneak peek for The Sorcerer's Apprentice :) I tried to keep them as 1 sneak peek per movie, or 1 sneak peek per TV season/series :)

I'm not sure if I'll be doing a sequel just yet :) There's still some pretty big twist to come :)

Not technically a mistake ;) As this chapter had flashbacks in it, the thoughts Windu had on them could have been from one of them, or even Yoda thinking back on what Windu might have said to him on an earlier date ;) Didn't necessarily mean he survived, but could have been past thoughts he told someone else that were brought up ;)

Lol, if lines are from the novelization it's a definite coincidence :) I don't have the novelization of the movie so that's awesome :)


	8. An Order of Execution

An Order of Execution

"Order 66?" Master Windu asked as Amira and Anakin stood by the man out in the corridors of the Temple.

They had wanted to return the Council, to let them know what Amira had dreamed, to inquire if it was a dream or a vision, if there might be a way to look into it. But the Council had been called, Obi-Wan was on his way back to the Temple, Master Yoda as well, and Master Windu had just departed to begin questioning the Troopers. It had barely been 3 hours since they had spoken to the Council, the sun was nowhere near rising for another few hours more. They still had time to work out what the Troopers would do to the other Jedi before Anakin would have to contact the Chancellor with his 'report' on the success of taking the Temple.

But they needed to tell someone about the dream and had scrambled to dress and rush out there, nearly running into Master Windu as they neared the Council chamber, Amira blurting out what she knew and had gleamed from her dream.

Amira nodded, "I saw it, Master," she took a breath, Anakin moving closer to her, his hand resting on her back in support, knowing that what she'd seen, how the Troopers had just moved to murder a fellow Jedi had shaken her, "I saw…I think I saw the Chancellor. And he was ordering the Clones to 'initiate Order 66.'"

"Do you know what it is, Skywalker?" Windu turned to him.

Anakin shook his head, "I've never heard of it, Master."

"All I saw after that was the Clone turn and fire on a Jedi," Amira added, "I don't know if that's exactly what the order is, to attack us or…or if it's to attack our allies or not. But I felt it best to let you know, perhaps when you question the commander they can be more specific when the direct Order is mentioned."

Windu nodded, considering that, "I will go speak to the commander now," he gave them another nod, this one of thanks, before he strode away down the hall.

Amira let out a breath and leaned more back towards Anakin, able to feel his hand on her more as they turned to rest against the wall, "You're touching me," she remarked quietly, the hall was empty now that Master Windu had left, making her feel like her voice was louder than it should be even though it was barely a whisper.

Anakin smiled at that, turning to rest his forehead to her temple, his hand slowly moving up and down her back, "I can now," he countered.

She shook her head, unable to help the small smile that formed on her lips, "You shouldn't."

"I can't help it," he shrugged, as though he were helpless to do anything to stop it, "You are so beautiful."

Amira blushed at that, "I really am not."

He looked at her intently, pulling away so he could clearly see into her eyes, "You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen in all my travels, in all the stories I have ever heard of the creatures that inhabit the Galaxy."

"Stop it," she looked away, her cheeks now redder than a Sith lightsaber.

"No," he smiled, reaching out to guide her head back towards his, "I will never stop telling you how beautiful you are, till the day I cease to draw breath. I can tell you now, I can tell you that and so much more," he let out a gentle breath, stroking her cheek, "You are beautiful and I love you, so much."

"I love you too," she murmured, her breath leaving her at the intense look in his eyes.

"I love your hair," he told her, gently winding his other arm around her, tugging her closer, "It reminds me of the suns of Tatooine, and your eyes," he shook his head, "The Droids I used to work on. Your lips are pink, exactly like my hands after I'd scrub the grease clean from working. Your skin as pale as the white sands, and your scent," he leaned in, closing his eyes to rest his nose against the top of her hair, gently breathing her in, "Like rainwater, the rarest of treasures on my planet," he pulled back, "Your warmth reminds me of the desert, of Tatooine."

"I thought you hated your planet," she gave him a tilted look for that.

"I used to," he nodded, "Till someone helped me see the beauty in it, see the strength that came from living there. I can appreciate it now, because of you. Tatooine is my home-planet, and you...you are my home, when I am with you like this," he wound his arms around her more, "I am home."

Amira smiled and leaned in, resting her head to his chest, listening to his heart, "You feel like home as well," she whispered, or at least he felt what she assumed home would feel like. He felt like...the Temple, familiar and warm and welcoming and safe...something that made her happy. She nearly giggled when she felt him tip his head and run his nose along the shell of her ear, "We really should stop though," she told him quietly.

"We were given the Council's permission," he hummed in her ear, leaning in more to kiss her cheek, making her eyes drift closed.

"We shouldn't flaunt it though," she remarked, "We should be more professional than this."

"Than what?" he asked, his head moving lower, towards her neck, half-mumbling into it.

"Than doing this in the halls where anyone can see," she breathed, cursing herself for how her head moved to the side to give him more access to her neck.

"Let them see then."

Amira took a breath, gathering what was left of her fading will, and placed a hand on his chest, above his heart, lightly pushing him away, biting her lip so as not to laugh or smile at the small almost whining noise he gave at the loss of contact, "The Younglings," she reminded him.

"What about them?" he shook his head, his hand coming to rest over hers on his chest, his other hand taking her free hand, lightly playing with it.

He was enjoying this, very much, being able to touch her openly, being able to stand there like that. He just couldn't stop. He'd been dreaming of her for so many years and now he could actually touch her, he could hold her hand and touch her face and kiss her lips and he was going to take every opportunity that he could to do so. Especially as he knew that, in only hours, he would have to contact Palpatine and take up the ruse once more. He wanted to spend every last moment he could with her and get as much out of it as possible.

He felt like, with how much of a nightmare it had been to fool Palpatine the way he had, the extreme he'd had to go to to make the man think he'd won, despite that, his dreams had come true that night as well. He had told Amira that if there was a way for them to be together, if she'd fight for it, for them. He'd needed to know she would stand by him when he…when he confronted the Council and beseeched them to allow an exception for them. He had thought long about her, about his love for her, what that could mean for the Dark Side's temptation. And he'd concluded that he needed her, he needed to be able to love her and have her love, to resist it. He was going to go to the Council himself and beg them to allow them to be together and, if not, to punish on him, to banish him because he had been the one pursuing her the entire time while she reluctantly resisted.

It truly felt like a dream that the Council had already met to speak of them, that they'd already deliberated and come to the conclusion they had, that they were allowing this bond to form. It was a wonder to him, something he still wasn't sure was real, that he could kiss her and hold her and take her hand in his without fear of banishment or reprimand. He couldn't get enough of her, he couldn't stop touching her now that he knew what it felt like. And before, he couldn't help but smirk to think of it, now that he knew her as intimately as he did…he doubted he would ever be able to control himself around her and refrain from touching her as he wished he had been able to for so long and now could.

"We can't do what did in front of them again," she told him, her voice reluctant but firm.

"We hugged," he shook his head, "I hug my Master all the time after dangerous missions, when I am relieved he is well. You hug your Master as well."

"But we are not Padawan and Master," she pointed out, "We're two Knights, a man and woman, and to hug like that…I do not want to give the Council any more problems, not after what they have done for us."

"The Council had to know that we would touch and hug now, though."

"Yes," she agreed, "But we should respect the Code as well, we should respect the other Jedi and refrain from doing so too much or too openly. We are allowed to be, that is true, but…I don't think the Council will be very happy if we inspire questioning and challenges against the Code in others as well."

"You think, just because we're allowed to be together, that other Jedi will wish to be as well?" he asked.

"I don't know," she shrugged, "I…doubt that they would. I truly think it is just because it's you that you managed to sway me even that much from the Code," she gave him a gentle, teasing smile, referring to his later training and differing view of the Code, "I don't believe other Jedi would wish to start a bond as we have. But the Younglings are impressionable," she added, "If they are exposed to use acting as we'd like, their training may become skewed and we shouldn't allow that to happen. We must be responsible and accept what the Council has done for us with honor."

"So I can never kiss you or hug you in public?" he frowned at that.

"Not in front of the Younglings," she corrected, "Less so around other Jedi. It would not do to flaunt ourselves and the exception we have been given," she reached her hand up to touch his cheek, "That doesn't mean we can never touch," she stroked his cheek gently, "I just mean that we should take care around other Jedi, I would not want to cause the Council problems or complaints about us just because we cannot seem to control each other."

"We?" Anakin almost scoffed at that, "YOU seemed to be controlling yourself just fine."

Amira raised an eyebrow at that, pulling her hand off his heart but not letting go of his hand as she turned and placed his hand above her own, "Does my heart seem controlled to you?" she asked, letting him feel how her heart was racing, "It only does that around you," she told him, "My thoughts only go foggy when we are alone together," he looked at her for that, "My breath only leaves me when I think of you hurt or…" she blushed and Anakin couldn't help the rather smug grin he gave her, guessing where her mind had gone, especially after what they'd just done before finding Master Windu.

"Is that so?" he murmured, lifting her other hand to his lips to kiss, taking an enormous amount of pleasure in how her breath caught at that, how her eyes flickered to his lips.

"It took me three years to be able to control myself around you Anakin," she told him gently, "While you were hounding me like a Tauntaun in heat," she joked, making him laugh, "I was trying to control what I felt."

He stepped closer to her, staring into her eyes, "I don't see any Younglings around us," he remarked, though he didn't look up to confirm it, "I sense no other Jedi in this hall…" he leaned in, reaching out a hand to gently tip her chin up, "You don't need control now."

Amira bit her lip at that, "Win me the war," she murmured, moving closer to him as well, her lips brushing his as she spoke, "If we win this war, if we stop the Sith, I will show you just how much control I have to lose."

Anakin swallowed hard at that and leaned in, sealing her promise with a kiss, his mind already racing with how quickly he could end this war, how quickly he could tear the Chancellor's plans apart. He was already planning to end this war once and for all, now though…now he had even more a reason to do so quickly.

~8~

Amira and Anakin were silent as they stood in the empty Council room only an hour later, Master Windu and Neeva with them. There was no Council being called though, not entirely, Obi-Wan and Yoda's holograms stood before them, but no other Masters had been called, just the six of them gathered to discuss what had been learned from the Commander of the Clones, there was no time to wait for the transmissions to reach or come in from the other Masters. Obi-Wan and Yoda has responded instantly to Master Windu's call, leaving it to them to discuss.

"It is an Order of Execution," Windu began, "Order 66 is an order to execute all Jedi instantly and without mercy."

"And the Chancellor is going to initiate it," Amira frowned, Anakin reaching out to take her hand, reassured when she squeezed his hand back that, in a case such as this, around these particular people, touching would be acceptable.

"That is why he wanted the Beacon activated," Anakin murmured, "The distress call would have the Jedi immediately distracted and focused on returning here, trying to sense what might be happening in the Force so much so that they wouldn't realize the danger just behind them."

"Stop him, we must," Yoda nodded solemnly.

"We must send a different message," Neeva said simply, "No one but a member of the Order with connections to the Temple would be able to decipher the message. We could send out a message warning them of their Clones and to leave them where they are. Would could still hold the return to the Temple message, but add in that they must return now and return alone, cautious of their troops."

"But surely the Chancellor will be watching intently for the Beacon to be activated," Windu shook his head, "The moment it is, he will assume it is merely the distress call. It may trigger him giving the Order before we can warn any of our people."

"Master Yoda and I can send transmissions privately as many Jedi as we can," Obi-Wan offered, "Through our ships communications. We can warn them as well and ask them to spread the word. The Clones are still under our command for the moment, if we request a private word with the Jedi they will listen and leave."

"Warn the others, we shall," Yoda nodded, "Wait to trigger the Beacon we must."

"We can't be sure that the Chancellor will give the order the moment the beacon's been released," Amira murmured, "Logically, he would want them to be in the process of returning, focused on doing so. He would have to wait even an hour at most before giving the Order, surely?"

Anakin nodded, "The Jedi would be in various parts of their missions, they would need time to receive the beacon. He wouldn't use it as an instant trigger, it would be too suspicious."

"Yes," Neeva agreed, "If we sent out a distress call and then, the exact moment it's reached its intended targets, they're all shot down at the same time?" she shook her head, "It would be far too obvious that a trap was being set."

"And the Chancellor cannot expect Anakin to contact him the moment the beacon is implemented," Obi-Wan added, "If we can give, even an hour's worth of warning at the most before contacting the Chancellor that the mission was 'successful' and that he can move on to stage two, it should give the others enough time to make it far enough away to avoid fire from the troops."

"Then decided it is," Yoda nodded, "Private messages, Obi-Wan and I shall transmit. Wait to trigger the new beacon message, you shall. Then contact the Chancellor after, Young Skywalker will."

"Understood Master," Anakin nodded as the hologram of Yoda flickered out.

"May the Force be with you, Anakin," Obi-Wan offered, knowing that it would take a lot out of his former-Padawan to have to put on the ruse of Sith Apprentice before the Chancellor once more.

"And with you, Master," Anakin gave him a respectful bow of the head before the hologram flickered out as well.

The room fell silent as the four remaining Jedi looked at each other, all solemn, all deep in thought and prayers that their plan would be successful, that what was left of the Jedi Order would be forewarned enough to escape Order 66.

~8~

The time had come.

They all knew it, Amira and Neeva, Master Windu as well as they stood before Anakin in the communications room of the Temple, the light of the sun starting to peek into the sky just outside the windows. They had waited as long as they could, as long as would be believable and realistic for someone, even with an army, to take over the Temple before being able to contact someone else. They had set off the beacon only just under an hour ago with a simple message.

'Do not trust the Clones. Return to the Temple, now, alone. Guard your back.'

They had waited on baited breath since then for any sign that the Chancellor had initiated Order 66 when the beacon had been set off. But nothing came from it. One of the other Jedi were guarding the Clone Troopers, all of whom had had their comms taken along with their weapons. Armor from the Commander had been taken along with the armor if its second in command and given to Master Windu and Neeva for disguises. If the Order came, someone would need to answer and Master Windu had taken the responsibility of monitoring for it but so far nothing had come.

They could guess, now with more certainty, that the Chancellor was going to wait till Anakin contacted him with his success before adding more Jedi to come to the Temple and face the 'trap' they were sure the man expected it to be by now.

Amira looked over as Master Windu and Neeva put their helmets on and moved to stand behind Anakin, trying to make the communication more believable that the troops were still with him, and back to Anakin, "Should I leave…" she began to turn towards the doors, not wanting her presence to be a distraction, not wanting to risk the Chancellor catching a glimpse of her there.

They had devised another ploy against the Chancellor, to make him think that Anakin was well and truly on the side of the Dark, so the man wouldn't question why it had taken so long for him to make contact. There was only one thing they could think of that would explain such a thing.

Her.

Anakin had informed them that he'd been allowed to come to the Temple for the purpose of 'freeing' Amira from the Order, or so Palpatine had defined it as that. But from what Palpatine likely knew of Amira, he would know, even expect, her to refuse him turning to the Dark, to stand against him with the other Jedi. He was going to have to lie, tell the Chancellor that Amira had turned her back on him, that the Order had gotten to her, twisted her, that they were responsible for her not being with him. It would be believable, they knew, Amira was a Jedi at heart, she wouldn't turn to the Dark. But it would also give Anakin a reasonable reason for not having contacted the Chancellor immediately, if he had been dealing with Amira's 'betrayal' as well.

"No," Anakin shook his head, reaching out to take her hand, "No, I…I need you to stay," he ran his thumb over her knuckles, "I need you to be there to remind me that this is a lie, that it's just a ploy and it's not real."

He swallowed hard at that and Amira leaned in to kiss him quickly, conscious of the two other Jedi standing behind him, "Everything will be fine," she whispered to him, "I know you can do it Anakin."

She offered him one final smile before she stepped back, out of range of the communications, hidden behind it so that the Chancellor wouldn't see her but Anakin could. She knew he wouldn't be able to look up at her, it would clue the Chancellor in that someone else was there, but the fact that she'd be in his periphery would help him stay strong and do what had to be done.

Anakin took a deep breath and moved before the communication device, glancing at Windu and Neeva in their Clone armor behind him, and sending out the transmission.

A moment later a hologram of the Chancellor appeared before him.

"The traitors have been taken care of, Lord Sidious," Anakin spoke, "The Temple is under our command."

"Good, good," he nodded, though he was eyeing Anakin closely, "I must admit I am disappointed to took you so long to accomplish such a feat."

"My apologies, Lord Sidious," Anakin bowed his head, "I wished to do this without alerting the surrounding areas of the attack. It took longer than expected to infiltrate and slaughter the others. And there was a…complication."

"Oh?" his lips pursed.

Anakin took a breath, "Amira-Tal," he forced his expression to harden, to display anger…it was surprisingly easy to do so, or it would have been surprising had he not been focusing his thoughts on how much the man before him had tried to hurt not just him but Amira, how he'd tried to manipulate them, how he was leading the Republic to destruction, "She has refused your gracious offer for a place among the Sith. She would not stand with me, so she could only stand against me, against you."

Palpatine hummed at that, "The Order has corrupted her," he mused, "I am sorry, Anakin, I know she was important to you," he tilted his head, "Where is she now?"

"Your orders were for _every_ Jedi," was all Anakin said, a hard edge coming to his voice, his hands curling into fists that some might have thought of as fury had Amira not known it was disgust to even have to pretend HE had cut her down, "You wished them all destroyed, to catch them off-balance and do what must be done. That it was the only way the Sith could rule the galaxy once more. I did what had to be done."

"Yes," Palpatine grinned, whether agreeing that that was what he had said or expressing his pleasure that Anakin had gone so far against the one he claimed to love they didn't know, "She was an enemy," he murmured, "She turned her back on you Anakin, she does not deserve anything from you but your hatred."

"I hate them all," Anakin nearly spat, almost making Amira flinch at the tone of it, the 'Clones' behind him making no move at all at the sound as they had to play the role of soldier.

Amira could guess though, that he wasn't speaking of the Jedi, but another sister-like order, the ones causing all these problems and the war.

"I have triggered the beacon as you commanded," Anakin continued, "The message has been sent to the Jedi to return to the Temple. They will be returning to the slaughter."

"If they even survive the journey," Palpatine laughed darkly, "There is a command that only the Clone Army knows of," he told his apprentice, "Once activated, all Jedi are to be the target. I will send out the command and ensure their numbers cut down even more," he looked at Anakin proudly, "You have done well, my new apprentice, in accepting the ways of the Dark Side as I have done," Palpatine grinned, "Do you feel your power growing? Do you feel it expanding with your hatred?"

"Yes, My Master."

"Now, Lord Vader, now go and bring peace to the Empire."

"Your Empire shall rise, Master," Anakin agreed, "And your rule begin."

"I trust that it shall," Palpatine nodded, a moment before the transmission cut off.

Amira was in Anakin's arms the second it was gone, pulling him closer and holding him, feeling him shaking. She knew what it had taken for him to do this, to stand before the man and speak as he had, say what he had. Palpatine would never believe him if he didn't FEEL what he was saying, Anakin had to tap into that hatred and fury that the Dark Side fed off of to make Palpatine think he truly felt that way. He'd had to touch his hatred for the Sith, his anger at the Chancellor, in order for it to be realistic…he'd had to let the Dark Side brush against him in order to do this.

Anakin breathed deeply as he held her close, taking in her scent, the warmth of her body, the feel of her in his arms and pushed the Dark back, pushed with all his might to find the Light again. He had the woman he loved in his arms, he had the respect and the trust of the Jedi Order, he had friends willing to stand by him, willing to trust him in this. And he would not let them down.

"Did we get everything?" Neeva asked as she pulled her helmet off, looking at Master Windu.

He nodded, moving over to the communication device and pulling a small disc from it, "Every word he said and agreed to," he looked at them, "We have all the proof we need to ensure the Senate sees him for what he is."

Anakin nodded, squeezing Amira once more for her forethought to suggest they record the transmission, that they could use it to present to the Senate as evidence to unseat Palpatine, before he pulled away, turning to look at the two other Jedi, his arm still around Amira's waist.

"What do we do now?" Amira looked at them.

"I will stay here," Neeva offered, "I will group the Jedi that come for the beacon, keep transmission and communications open with the ones that have already contacted us, and try to help them escape. We will gather here and strengthen our numbers," a number of Jedi had sent in a message or transmission that they'd received Obi-Wan or Yoda's warnings and were heading back right that moment without their troops, but there were still others they hadn't heard from yet.

"I will meet Master Yoda and Obi-Wan," Windu nodded, "We shall present this to the Senate the moment they have returned and ensure that the Chancellor is cast from it."

"We will need more help," Amira murmured, "We must inform other Senators, ones we can trust, to stand by you and help make the motion."

Windu nodded, "You will see to that," he told Amira, assigning her the role.

"Yes, Master," she nodded.

"What of the Separatists on the Mustafar System?" Anakin inquired, he'd mentioned it to the Council when he'd explained the Chancellor's plans for the Temple and the slaughter of the Jedi, "Palpatine ordered me to go there after I dealt with the Temple. If I do not depart soon, he may become suspicious and you have assigned Amira as my partner in all missions."

"We must see to them," Neeva looked at Windu, "Defeating the Chancellor and causing a downfall of the Sith will not mean much towards peace if the Separatists still remain. They will just stir trouble once more."

Windu nodded, understanding that, "Amira," he looked at her, "You and Anakin will select a Senator you trust to impart our plan to, inform them that they MUST find others to support them, and then you shall both depart to deal with the Separatists."

"I can send some of the Jedi there," Neeva looked at the two Knights, "There must be some travelling from near that system. I can try to reach them and have them join you there, they can help you restrain and arrest the Separatist leaders."

Windu turned to them, "Do you have a Senator you can trust?"

Amira bit her lip, thinking a moment, before glancing at Anakin and nodding, "I think we know just the one."

A/N:Three guesses who the Senator is ;) Lol :) I tried to balance the sweet and the reality of the situation in this chapter. Like yes, there is a war on, Anakin is going to have to contact Palpatine, the man won't wait long, but...this is also the last few precious hours he might have with Amira before all hell literally breaks loose :( I hope you enjoyed the little bits of fluff though :)

Some notes on reviews...

I completely understand :) The no-Padawans stipulation can be harsh. I wanted to keep the Council's description of the restrictions brief but that probably should have been elaborated more :) I meant it as, their children aren't going to be separated from them like typical Padawans, because their parents are IN the Temple and it would take quite a lot to keep the parentage a secret. Anakin and Amira, in exchange for not training Padawans, will be allowed to be actual parents to their children when they aren't actively being trained or spending time in lessons with their Masters. Because they'll be able to see their children every day, teach them to walk and talk, etc., they can't have a Padawan on top of that. It could cause jealousy for their children in the future, that their own parents can't train them in an official capacity, to see a bond of almost-parent/child (like many Master/Padawans) form between their parents and another Padawan :( They can still help with lessons, like Yoda teaches the Younglings, Anakin and Amira can still help teach skills in a general sense, Amira could teach other Padawans more skill in their sabers or diplomatic negotiations, Anakin could help train others in manipulating the Force or piloting and so on, they just can't take on an official Padawan one-on-one :) I'll go back and add more of that in to explain why the no-Padawans thing was decided. Anakin and Amira had no consideration _at all_ of children as they barely thought they'd be allowed to be together in the first place, but the Council _had_ to consider every possibility for the future and every consequence for the two if they allowed them to be together. One thing the Council considered was what the potential children could feel and what they _might_ one day think of the fact that their own parents can't train them and that their parents are spending so much time with other children and growing so close to them and so on. It's more a preventative measure for the children than an actual punishment for the parents :) Once they're past child-bearing age though, when their own children are Knights, there might be a possibility for Padawans though ;)

Padme and Amira will get to talk very very soon ;)

Amira will discover Anakin's nightmare quite soon yup ;)

That's one thing I always love about 'evil,' their pride is always what does them in in the end :) They never think the other side is strong enough to stop them or willing to go as far as they do to defeat them :)


	9. Into the Fire

Into the Fire

Amira bit her lip as she stood, hidden in a borrowed cloak, in the middle of a crowd of tourists near the entrance to the Monument Plaza at the base of Umate, of Coruscant's Manarai Mountains, waiting for Senator Amidala to arrive. They had managed to get a message to the Senator requesting she come there alone, that it was imperative she do so with the upmost care and caution and subtlety. She just hoped the Senator would agree to come. All the woman would know was it was from a Jedi so she hoped it would be enough. She was the one there instead of Anakin even though she'd said that he should be the one to speak to the Senator as he knew her better than she did. But he was waiting in the shuttle they would be taking to Mustafar, and it needed to be him in there, piloting it, making it so they could leave as quickly as possible. He also remarked that she was the more diplomatic of the two, she would be able to get what she had to say out and do so quickly and simply.

She didn't know if the Senator was even there, she was trying to sense for the woman, but there were so many people about, which was why they'd suggested that place. It was public, yes, but crowded with thousands of tourists every day, making it easy for the two to get lost and be unnoticed in such a place. Many people came for the chance to touch the bare rock of the highest mountain in Coruscant and enjoy the museums and restaurants scattered around the plaza as well. It would be the perfect place to meet and not be seen.

She stilled, catching sight of woman walking in neutral colors that blended in with the crowd as she entered the area where a line had formed to approach the mountain's touch-area. She could recognize the Senator even in her plain dress, but so many others were more excited about the mountain than to notice the woman. She took a breath and quickly stepped out, moving towards the Senator but being careful to play the role of a tourist, "There you are!" she cheered as she reached Padmé, "You're just in time, the line is starting to form," she led her over to the other tourists, getting them in line to see the rock. The line often moved quickly, most people wanting just a brief touch before moving on to the rest that the mountain had to offer which would be just enough time to express what she needed to tell the woman.

"I'm glad I got your message in time," Padmé played along, as though they were just two friends meeting up to see the mountain together, "I hoped I hadn't missed you."

Amira nodded, "Thank you for coming," she spoke quieter, the closer they got to the touch-area, the louder the voices around them grew, meaning they could speak more freely if they lowered their voices.

"Your message sounded important," Padmé murmured, "Has something happened? Is…is Anakin alright?"

Amira blinked at that and glanced at Padmé, tilting her head as she observed the woman closely a moment, "He is well," she answered, "He is waiting for me in the shuttle, we are to depart for Mustafar after I speak with you."

"Mustafara?" Padmé's eyes widened at that, "What could be…"

"The Separatists," Amir answered quickly glancing around, "We've obtained information on where they've gathered. The Council has dispatched Anakin and I to settle the matter, arrest them and bring the leaders to trial."

Padmé let out a breath at that, "Then the war is nearly over."

"And a much bigger one may be about to begin," Amir warned, "The source of our information was from the one the Separatists have been following all this time. A Sith Lord."

Padmé frowned at that, "The Sith…"

"The Chancellor."

Padmé stared at her, "You must be mistaken," she shook her head, "The Chancellor has been…" she trailed off, not sure what word she could possibly use to describe it, "But he is no Sith Lord!" she hissed the last two words.

Amira gave her a firm look, "He is, we have a transmission of him admitting so, of admitting his hand in this entire war. Along with his plans to dismantle the Senate and put an Empire in place with him as the ruler."

"He wouldn't…" Padmé breathed, shaking her head more and more as though she could cast the truth of it aside if she tried hard enough.

"He has," Amira leaned in more, "Not only that, he ordered his new Apprentice to attack the Jedi Temple, to slaughter us. And has issued an order to the Clone Soldiers that they are to attack their unsuspecting Jedi commanders. He means to destroy those that could stop him and protect the Senate."

"His new apprentice?" Padmé swallowed hard, if the Chancellor had taken an apprentice, then how would they even be able to stop him? His apprentice would just take over once his master fell…

"Anakin."

Padmé nearly stumbled at that had Amira not reached out and steadied her, glancing around to make sure no one else had noticed, "Ani?"

"Anakin," Amira corrected, knowing that Anakin preferred being called a name that didn't make him feel like a little girl, only his mother was allowed to call him that it seemed, "He went undercover, Senator, gained the Chancellor's trust and got him to reveal his plans to him, recorded the transmission of his admissions of all he's done and plans to do."

Padmé let out a breath, her heart racing but starting to slow at the knowledge that Anakin had done what he had to get them proof, "And you have this evidence?"

Amira nodded, "That is why I called you here."

"It was you that called?"

Amira looked at the woman a moment as the line continued to move, "You believed it was Anakin that contacted you?"

"No," Padmé said quickly, "No but…I…" she sighed, "I had hoped it might be," she glanced at her, "You are Amira-Tal," she murmured. They'd met here and there, but never officially, never so long that she would be able to recognize her instantly, "Anakin…speaks highly of you."

"Anakin trusts you," Amira countered, "As do I, as do the Council, that you will be able to take the proof we provide you and stop the Chancellor's plot in the Senate. Make a motion or whatever you must to reveal his treachery."

"I won't be able to do it alone," Padmé warned.

"Master Yoda, Windu, and Kenobi plan to join you at the Senate, should the Chancellor attack," Amira nodded, "You may tell all the Senators that you would trust with this knowledge to help put a united front. We MUST stop the Chancellor from taking complete control of the Galaxy."

Padmé nodded at that, "I will do all I can," she swore.

They grew quiet as they reached the touch-area, a small hole carved into the wall, big enough for two or three hands to fit through, to touch the mountain. Amira subtly reached into her pocket and gave Padmé a meaningful look as they both reached through the hole, but instead of touching the mountain, she pressed the disc that contained a copy of the Chancellor's transmission into her hand, pulling her hand out a moment later as did Padmé.

They were silent as they moved with the crowd towards the open areas that held the access to the other shops and museums and food areas.

Amira looked at Padmé, seeing the determined Senator she'd heard the woman to be, "May the Force be with you Senator," she offered, bowing her head before she turned to go.

"Wait," Padmé reached out and touched her arm, stilling her, "Take care of him," she began after a moment of silence, "Anakin can be…" she gave a helpless shrug, failing to find a word that defined all that Anakin was.

Amira smiled and nodded, "I know," she understood, "I will never let anything happen to him, Padmé."

Padmé nodded and slowly pulled her hand away, "I…" she hesitated, but took a breath, "I thought that Anakin and I…" she paused again, not sure if she should say it to the woman that Anakin now loved, especially as she recognized the smile Amira had given her at the mention of Anakin, the smile that spoke of a love returned, "But we're not," she settled on instead, "It's you. It will be you, for the rest of his life."

"Mine as well," Amira murmured.

Padmé took a breath, "I…spoke to your Master," she informed Amira, "When she was assigned to protect me. I asked her once, why Obi-Wan sent Anakin back, she was very blunt. He was too attached to me and Obi-Wan couldn't allow it. I asked why attachment was bad, and she explained the dangers that a Jedi could face when they…they fell in love."

"It can be very dangerous," Amira agreed, "It depends on the Jedi though."

"I know," Padmé agreed, a sad smile on her face, "It depends on BOTH of them," she gave Amira a meaningful look, "Anakin has loved you since Geonosis," she stated flat out, "And I think you have as well."

"You…would not be mistaken," Amira answered hesitantly, "We have…" this time SHE paused, not sure if she should tell the woman that might still care for Anakin that way what had been given to the two of them, "We have recently obtained the Council's permission to be together."

Padmé swallowed hard at that, letting out a breath as though she'd been struck in the stomach, but holding it together, "Three years," she murmured, "It has been three years, and only now…"

"I resisted," Amira explained, not sure why she was even doing so, but…she could understand Padmé, she could understand that this conversation needed to happen, for the closure the woman would need to understand the difference in Anakin's feelings over time, "I did not want him to face that danger."

Padmé nodded ruefully at that, "I don't think I would have been that strong," she admitted, "I would have led to his ruin."

"We will never know," Amira offered in an attempt to comfort her. Because, even though this woman before her had been the object of Anakin's affections at one point, she was still a woman that cared for Anakin and a woman that was respecting Anakin's choice now.

"Maybe not," Padmé murmured, "But I believe it. Your Master explained that danger and even then I couldn't understand it. I couldn't understand how love could be dangerous. Only a Jedi would be able to understand, I think, and…only a Jedi would be strong enough to help Anakin face that danger and surpass it," she took a breath, "So…thank you," she finished, "I would not see Anakin…become what he could have if the love had been a different sort. I feel as though I owe you a debt."

Amira shook her head, "See to it that the Chancellor is defeated in the Senate, and we shall call it even."

Padmé nodded in promise as Amira turned and made her way through the crowd, both women feeling lighter of heart than they had before.

~8~

Amira looked over at Anakin as he piloted the shuttle though the dark of space, just…observing him a moment before she spoke, "Are you going to tell me what YOUR nightmare was about?" she asked softly.

"It doesn't matter," he stated, focusing on the controls.

"It could be a vision."

"I'm going to prevent it."

"I could help."

"No, I won't let it happen, so it's moot to talk about."

Amira frowned at that, at how he had gone right to how HE wouldn't let it happen, as though…as though the vision had something to do with her and he didn't want her anywhere near it when it happened. She had been fearful, when she'd dreamed of Order 66, had rushed to tell Master Windu, and then Anakin had distracted her in the halls, and the Council had been called before Palpatine had been contacted and…it was just a mess of events. But it didn't take away from the fact or cause her to forget that Anakin had woken up with a start the same time she had, that he had admitted he'd had a nightmare as well. She'd wanted to ask him about it, to get him to talk of what he'd seen, but the time hadn't been right and he hadn't said anything to the Masters that made it seem like the dream was imperative to stopping the Chancellor. But now, now it was just the two of them and they had a moment to breathe and she could tell, from how tense he was and how focused he was forcing himself to be, that it was affecting him even now.

"I told you about my vision," she reminded him about her dream of him and the Younglings, "And that didn't happen."

"You didn't know it then, you didn't even know it was ME at the time."

"Does it make a difference? I would have wanted to prevent the Younglings being harmed no matter who the shadow was. I would have wanted to prevent it."

"And you did, and so will I."

"Anakin," she reached out and placed her hand on one of his on the controls, shifting her hand to link her fingers with his, "Tell me. Please?" she let her thumb stroke on the back of his hand, watching as he looked down at it, "If we are to be partners, in all missions, that should include personal missions as well."

He sighed, tugging her hand to his lips to kiss it, "I…dreamed of you."

"I gathered that much," she encouraged, squeezing his hand.

He let out a breath, "You were…there was fire or…or magma. You were falling towards it."

"Ok," she nodded slowly, "I'll be sure not to go near any magma then."

Anakin let out a dark chuckle, "The entire planet we're going to is practically magma."

She smiled, "I know," she nudged him, before falling silent as she saw his expression growing grim, growing guilty, "That isn't all there is, is there?"

He swallowed, "I was holding your hand," he added, quiet, "I was holding your hand, trying to help you but then…you were falling. I…I let go…"

"Anakin," she bit her lip, hesitating a moment before reminding herself that no one was there to observe or judge them and stood, moving over to him and settling on his lap, his arms immediately winding around her in the small cramped space between him and the controls, "You would never let me go," she reached up to touch his cheek, "I'm fairly certain that, if me metaphorically prying at your hands for the last three years wasn't enough to get you to let go of me, I don't think anything will," she tilted her head, "Whatever your vision is of, nothing will happen to me."

"You can't know that," he murmured, looking at her with such concern in his eyes, for her, that she lost her breath.

"I can," she countered, "That's the whole reason the Council assigned us as partners. We will look out for each other, better than any other Jedi could. I know you will have my back and I know you would never let me fall," she nudged him, "Or are you taking your promise of being there when I Force Jump back?"

He managed a small laugh at that, "No," he shook his head, "No, you're right," he took a breath, "I wouldn't let you fall. And if I did…I'd probably jump after you."

"I'd rather we both not fall or jump for the foreseeable future," she countered, pulling her hand from his face to hold out before him, "Do we have a deal?"

He grinned, nodding as he took her hand, and then quickly put his arms out on either side of her, trapping her when she tried to get up.

He was an incredible pilot, and that was not arrogance speaking, he could certainly pilot a shuttle with her on his lap, he was sure of it.

~8~

Anakin and Amira glanced at each other as they drew nearer to the dark red planet that was Mustafar, their shuttle heading down through the atmosphere revealing that the planet looked much worse up close than it had from the distance of space. There were volcanoes everywhere, rivers of lava and pools of magma littering the surface. There was smoke rising from the volcanoes, ash filling the air, making it difficult to see. The readings that the shuttle were giving off told them that the planet's temperature would be difficult to bear, not impossible, but very uncomfortable. They would need to leave their Jedi robes behind to make it more bearable. Or, at least, Amira would. Having spent his life on a desert planet like Tatooine, Anakin was more resistant to the heat than she was, but he chose to leave his robe behind as well. The less they carried with them the more mobility they'd have and the less chance that their robe would catch fire or be used against them.

They needed every advantage, too much rested on them at the moment, the end of the war was in their hands.

They'd received a transmission from Neeva, a majority of the Jedi that had been sent off world had contacted her. They were all alive, having escaped Order 66…but a few were not so lucky. Still, it was more than they ever thought they'd be able to help and a handful of them were near enough to get to Mustafar and help them deal with the Separatists, but they wouldn't be there for a short while now and they could not risk any delays. They HAD to go confront the Separatists now and hopefully be able to wait for the rest of the Jedi later.

The small shuttle set down on a complex of landing platforms where a small base was set up. The Separatists would be expecting Anakin to arrive, from what Palpatine had implied in his orders to Anakin. They wouldn't think it suspicious that a Jedi craft was landing, but if more arrived…the alarms would sound. So truly, they had to enter the facility quickly and deal with the Separatist leaders before the other Jedi arrived. They couldn't risk one of them sending out a call to Palpatine just yet. The moment the man realized that Anakin had 'betrayed' him, would be the moment they lost their advantage.

They had to make sure that all things were taken care of before Senator Amidala could make a motion to the Senate. If they could end the war and confirm that, then it would be easier to unseat the Chancellor if he tried to use the Jedi against the Republic.

Anakin reached out and took Amira's hand as they stood, heading for the cockpit hatch that would lead out to the planet. They'd just made it a few feet away when a beeping sounded behind them.

Anakin turned to see R2-D2, a small little droid that Senator Amidala had given to Neeva and the Order as thanks for their services in protecting her from her assassinations, popped up from the ship, beeping at them happily. Neeva had recommended that they take the little droid with them as R2-D2 was, according to her, exceptional are repair and navigation and a very useful droid to have in a pinch. They'd taken her word to heart and the droid had been placed with their shuttle.

"R2," Anakin shook his head, "Stay with the ship."

Amira smiled slightly as R2 let out a sadder beep but turned back towards the ship. She glanced at Anakin a moment, taking a breath, "This is it," she murmured.

Anakin nodded, starting to step forward towards the base, but paused, turning back to her and kissing her quickly, "Promise me you will be careful," he rested his forehead to her, he needed to know she'd be ok before he went in there.

He was almost questioning the Council's decision to make them partners on missions. How could he focus if he was worrying about her? He'd be even more distracted with her beside him and IN danger than with him at the Temple or some other mission and wondering if she was ok.

Amira let out a small laugh, "I'm not YOU, Skywalker," she teased, squeezing his hands a moment, "I'm always careful. It's YOU that should be careful."

"I'll be fine," he assured her, "I've improved quite a bit in my saber work," he started to smile as well.

Amira looked up at him, "I'll have your back, and you'll have mine, and if we're separated," she took a breath, nodding to herself, "We both know what the other is capable of. No one can touch you with the Force on your side, and no one's been able to best me in a duel in the last year."

"I thought your Master…" he began, a hint of a knowing tease on his face.

"When I'm not utterly torn up about our torrid love affair," she rolled her eyes, nudging him to turn and start walking, "We both know what the other can handle. And we CAN handle this. Together or apart," she glanced at him, "I trust you Anakin."

He smiled at that, "I trust you too."

And with that, they both looked towards the base and made their way towards it, ready for whatever they might face within. Anakin led the way through the halls, having been given a schematic of the base so he would know where to go and where to find the Separatist leaders. It took them no time at all to reach the main control center of the base. It was a large room, almost circular in design, with large monitors on the walls displaying footage from across the Galaxy, control panels lining the bases of them. And there they were, the horde of Separatist leaders, the various aliens gathered around a hexagonal table in the middle of the room that was glowing with red holographic projections of the Clone Troops.

It took the Separatists a bit longer to realize that Anakin was standing in the doorway, Amira off to the side of the frame, waiting for his signal, than it had for them to find the room.

"Welcome, Lord Vader," one of the leaders greeted, "We've been expecting you."

Anakin merely lifted his hand towards one of the control panels, using the Force to force a power surge, cutting off the power to them, ensuring that they wouldn't be able to put a distress to Palpatine while also triggering the failsafes for the doors, causing the security doors to shut and lock all around the room save for the one he was standing in, the sensors not allowing it to close with someone in the way.

"In the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic and by order of the Jedi Council, you are under arrest," Anakin stated.

The aliens glanced at each other a moment, before laughing, which was, admittedly, not something Amira or Anakin expected them to do.

"You are very funny, my Lord," another Separatist called.

They all grew very serious, however, when Anakin activated his lightsaber, the blue hue of it all the Separatists needed to see to know that the man before them was NO Sith Lord, but the farthest thing from it.

Within the span of a single breath, the Separatists pulled their weapons, their pistols and blasters, and began to fire at Anakin who quickly deflected the blasts and made his way into the room. He hadn't meant to fight, hadn't intended to launch an attack, he'd merely used the saber to show that he was being serious, that he was on the side of the Senate and the Republic instead of the Empire the Chancellor was trying to build. But the aliens had attacked and that left him little choice but to retaliate and defend himself.

He fought his way into the room, glancing over only a moment when one of the Separatists tried to run for the open doorway…only for Amira to appear in it and push the man back with the Force.

It was hard, it was confusing and there was so much happening that neither Anakin nor Amira could worry for the other, could allow themselves to be distracted by them as they focused on their own battles and keeping themselves safe for the other. There were blasts flying past, not just from the Separatists but their guards and the various droids that were working the controls as well. They fought hard, trying to keep from having to kill any of the Separatists, knowing that the men should answer for their crimes before trial and the Galaxy, but a few lives were taken, they had to be, when one got too close to them or the only defensive blow that could be made was with a saber. But they tried to keep that to a minimum, choosing instead to send the aliens flying with the Force, crashing into the walls and controls and each other, knocking them unconscious or making minor wounds to take them down before knocking them out with their feet. They had begun to spilt their efforts though, Amira focusing more on taking out the droids with her saber while Anakin manipulated the Force to throw the others. While she had been getting better at her control of the Force, she was still better at pulling things to her than pushing them away. She managed to do so with a handful of the Separatists, but Anakin had taken care of most of them while she focused on stopping the droids.

They only paused, only took breath when the room was full of unconscious bodies and a corpse or two, to look at each other, nodding that they were fine before they carried on, moving out of the room and into all the others of the base, the Conference room being next, a lesser amount of Separatists in there but still those needing to be dealt with.

The Separatists there had more warning however and one quickly opened a door, calling in Droidekas to help. Amira glanced at Anakin and made a sign towards the droids that he nodded to, focusing on the people while she took down the droids, only stopping when the last droid was torn in half.

Amira panted, turning sharply to look at Anakin as a thud sounded behind her, to see he'd thrown the last Separatist into the conference table, incapacitating him. They looked at each other from across the room, not moving, but using their senses, Anakin's still more sharp than her own, to sense if there were any more beings in the facility, and breathed easier when nothing but themselves and the ones in the last few rooms came back to them. They quickly made their way towards each other, hugging tightly the moment they met, nearly sagging in relief that the mission had been successful.

They stiffened, though, when alarms began to sound and ran back to the control center, only to laugh when they saw what had triggered it, three other Jedi shuttles were setting down on the landing platforms.

"It makes sense," Anakin mumbled, his arm around her waist, holding her close.

"What?" she glanced at him.

"They come only AFTER the fun's been had."

Amira could only shake her head, but she had to agree…they had ended the war, the war was over, the Separatists were defeated, and they had all the faith in the world that Senator Amidala and the other Jedi had been able to stop Palpatine as well.

~8~

Anakin smiled to himself, feeling proud and relieved, as he led one of the restrained Separatists towards a Jedi shuttle, his hands tight on the alien's bound wrists. The other Jedi were to transport the Separatists back to Coruscant to ensure they were dealt with to the highest degree of the law, which was just as they deserved.

"The war is over," the Separatists grumbled as he was forced to walk, "Lord Sidious promised us peace! We only want…"

"Lord Sidious will have no power very soon," Anakin assured the Separatist, "Not even he can save you from your crimes," he shoved the Separatist into the hands of the Jedi at the edge of the shuttle, nodding his head to the Trandoshanian Jedi that was standing there, a Jedi that looked rather like a humanoid reptile.

He looked over to see Amira handing off the last Separatist to one of the Twi'lek Masters with a bow of her own head, before they met in the middle. They stood there, watching as the Jedi closed their hatches and the ships began to ascend, taking the Separatists with them.

"We did it," Amira breathed as the ships grew smaller in the sky.

Anakin couldn't help but smile, relief filling him, "Come," he nodded towards their shuttle, "We should contact our Masters and see what has happened with the Senate."

Amira nodded, turning to follow him, the two of them just reaching the hatch…when they stiffened, sensing a shift in the Force, a threat approaching, and quickly turned, grabbing their lightsabers in unison when they saw a Federation ship setting down on the other end of the platform. They didn't even hesitate to activate their sabers when the hatch to the ship opened and they saw the figure within clutching a lightsaber of his own.

Count Dooku.

A/N: I've read that R2-D2 was given to Anakin when he became a Jedi Knight by Padme, but in this story, since they weren't as close, Padme gave it to Neeva and the Order as thanks for helping stop the assassinations and the battle of Geonosis. I hope you liked the Padme-Amira moment, props to the two for being mature women about a mutual care for a boy ;)

But oh boy! Only 1 chapter left! }:)

Some notes on reviews...

Lol, nope, sadly no 3 chapters in a day :(

Order 65 wasn't mentioned as they weren't aware of it, they were focusing on Order 66 :) I feel like the Order wouldn't know every order that the Clones were trained to follow, I think there were 150 Contingency Orders, but we only know about 5-6 of them ourselves :) I can't see the Clones giving up more information to anyone than they need to :)

I can say there'll definitely be some thoughts on the Code coming from Yoda very soon ;) It's definitely a tricky position for the Council in terms of keeping Anakin and Amira in the order, I think, if they weren't already planning and wanting to stay in the Order without intent to leave it, it could definitely be seen as slavery in a way. To them, they made a commitment and they don't want to leave the Order, would do anything to stay in it except not be allowed to be together :( Which they thankfully aren't going to be forced to face now :) It was a very small moment where Anakin mentioned he'd had a nightmare the same time Amira had, but it's discussed more here :) Oh Dooku's definitely back and yup, it's Padme :)

Thanks :) I'll definitely try to check out the novelization :) The Hook/OC will be out tomorrow ;)

Nope, not Jar Jar, but Padme :) Anakin's definitely taken a very big step towards his destiny here :)

Not the same nightmare as with Padme, but a similar fear behind it, that something will happen to Amira and she'll die :(

I'm glad you felt it was random! ^-^ I was trying to make it seem very out of place so that it becomes suspicious to us, as we can see in Anakin's mind, but believable to Palpatine who's basing it on his observations of Anakin :) I'm glad I managed to trick you a bit ;)

I think they might have something like that class :) I mean, no matter the training, when a person reaches a certain age they probably have odd urges that have to be explained and taught meditations and things to ignore :) It's sort of like, if they go with their Master on a mission and there's someone pregnant, they'd be curious how it happened, or wonder how THEY came to be as well if they didn't know about reproduction :) It probably comes up on a very private Master-Padawan discussion when they reach an age that it makes sense to do so at :)


	10. Light vs Dark

Light vs. Dark

"Count Dooku," Anakin glared at the man as he stalked down the hatch of his ship, "You are under arrest, in the name of the Galactic Senate of the Republic and by order of the Jedi Council."

Dooku just sneered at him, lifting his lightsaber, the red glow reflecting off the natural darkness and orangey glow of the magma pools around them, making his face appear even more sinister.

"Do not take another step," Amira moved beside Anakin, both of them readying their sabers.

"You think you could defeat me?" Dooku eyed them, though he made no other move, "You may have defeated my Master but you will never destroy us. The Sith will rise again and the Galaxy shall be ours."

Amira and Anakin glanced at each other for that, not entirely sure what he meant by the fact that Palpatine had been 'defeated' though they could hope that it meant the Senate had been presented the evidence before Palpatine could do anything. But they couldn't be certain, not till they were able to contact the Order and see what had happened.

"You have no idea what you have done," Dooku continued, "We could have brought peace to the Galaxy. We could have ensured justice, freedom, and security to the people. And you have turned your back on that, on the power to affect all life in the universe. And yet you betrayed our Master!"

Amira could only look at Dooku in sorrow and pity for that. The man, she could see it in his eyes, he genuinely believed in the Dark Side, believed it was not the evil it was. And that was truly the saddest and most dangerous enemy there could be, one that believed in their evils so much that they saw it to be good.

Anakin shook his head, "He is not my Master, nor shall he ever be," he stated, "I will not see the Dark rise if it is the last thing I am able to do, I will stop your order."

"WE will stop you," Amira agreed, not about to let Anakin face this man alone, but trying, just once more to try and get through to Dooku as, to take a life when life was sacred was the greatest burden of a Jedi and she would avoid it if she could. Perhaps there was even a shred of Light still left in him, she doubted it, but she had to try, "Can you not see how your anger and hatred and…and lust for power has corrupted you?" she asked the man, "You were a Jedi, you were one of the greatest, you swore to defeat the Darkness not stand with it," she looked at him with pity, "We count you among The Lost Twenty," she reminded him, "We count you as one of them, as a JEDI, one merely lost to us, but you _can_ come back, you can find your way back to the light."

"Who are you to lecture me, young one?" Dooku all but sneered at her, "I have long since seen the lies of the Jedi. They are the evil ones, not the Sith. THEY will be the ruin of the Republic."

He could feel his anger boiling inside him at that. He had been on Mustafar, just before Anakin was to arrive, had been called back by his Master, to stand by him after he gained control of the Senate. He'd been on his way there, had been halfway back...when he'd gotten a distress call from his Master from the Senate, had been able to make contact and get a report from one of the Clones about what had happened. Anakin had betrayed his Master, had fooled them all and was still on the side of the Light and, because of that, his Master had been overwhelmed by three other Jedi and taken into custody. He'd felt so angry that all he could think of was finding Anakin and seeing him punished. He had immediately turned to return to Mustafar to see the Jedi flying away with the Separatists in their own custody. His rage knew no bounds at that, he HAD to face the little brat down and show him the error he'd made in turning his back on the Dark, on betraying his Master as he had.

"No," Anakin defied him, "The Jedi will always protect the peace, uphold justice, and bring security to the Galaxy. Nothing you say shall sway us from our allegiance to the Order and the Republic, from democracy and Light."

"You have such potential, Anakin," Dooku frowned at him, "My Master spent years cultivating it. And you would turn your back on that, on the chance to be the most powerful Jedi ever," he seemed disgusted by the thought.

Anakin's eyes narrowed, "Rather a Great Jedi than a Powerful one."

Amira, despite the situation, couldn't help the rush of pride and warmth that spread through her at his words, at the reaffirmation of how deeply rooted Anakin was to the side of the Light. He had been trained in the Light, tempted by the Dark, and was _choosing_ to remain in the Light. He was choosing his destiny, one that was set out before him with such ambiguity, and he was taking hold of it in his own right.

The Chosen One would bring balance to the Force.

The whispers said it was Anakin, that he was the Chosen One, but nothing said that it would balance the Force to the Light or Dark, something she could tell the Council was all too aware of, that it never said to which side the Chosen One would turn. But here he was, and it was to the Light.

"Then you shall fall," Dooku glared, "It would bring me the greatest honor to cut you down for your betrayal of Darth Sidious," he nearly laughed when they moved into a ready stance to fight, "You are fools," he spat at them, "You're no match for the Dark Side."

"Arrogance will be your downfall," Amira stated calmly.

"And Love will be yours," he shot back at them.

Anakin's grip on his lightsaber tightened, "You will not take her from me," he warned the man, understanding that Dooku knew, likely the Chancellor had told him, of his affections for Amira, that he was going to try to make him suffer, to truly punish him for his 'betrayal' by targeting her first.

Dooku just grinned darkly at him, "We shall see."

And, not a moment later, the duel of the century began, with Dooku launching himself at Anakin and Amira with all that he had.

It was almost like a horrifying memory playing out before them as Anakin and Amira fought on, both had fought the Count before, never at the same time, and both had been able to hold their own. Together they should have been able to defeat the man quicker than before, two on one, especially with the man being so much older than they were, with the disadvantage to certain parts of his body that should have made holding a lightsaber and fighting with one more difficult. But the man was holding his own and doing so very well, even against the both of them.

They pushed on, as hard as they could, neither of them willing to give up, neither of them speaking a word as they tried to focus on Dooku. The man truly was a master of the saber and had many, many more years over the two of them combined in dueling with it. They wouldn't let on their concerns about it however. Dooku was angry, they could tell, and anger was always the shortest distance to a mistake, they just had to hold out long enough for him to make it. But as they went, pushing the man from the landing platform and towards the base itself, they could tell that the anger was also making him stronger, he was holding on to all the anger and hatred he felt and using it to reaffirm his attacks, hold strong against them.

Dooku was wrong, though, their love would not be their downfall, for it powered them as mightily as his anger and hatred powered him. They were fighting for each other, to protect each other, to keep themselves safe so the other wouldn't worry. But more than that, they were fighting for their Masters, to make them proud, for the Order, to show that the Light would always defeat the Dark, for the Republic and the Senators who were trusting them to end the war, and for all the sacred life throughout the Galaxy that they had sworn and were privilege to protect. They were fighting for everything good and just, everything deserving of love, and that was making them endure as well as Dooku was.

They didn't even realize they'd been pushing the man so far into the base until they'd reached the control room where they'd taken down the Separatists. It was difficult to focus as they approached it, their sabers flying everywhere meant bits of the halls itself ended up getting carved, small chunks of it and debris from the lights above them falling around them, still they pushed on, avoiding the rubble as it fell. Amira flinched as her saber skimmed one of the monitors on the wall, causing sparks to go off, the screens exploding, making bright flashes of light appear at the corner of their eyes, distracting.

Dooku threw his hand out, sending Amira flying back in her distraction, landing on top of the table of the conference room the moment they'd made it inside that chamber, leaving Anakin to lunge forward and pull Dooku's focus to him, not about to risk the man choking her with the Force or use the Force Lightning against her. Dooku seemed pleased with the change though, and focused intently on Anakin, managing to knock him back into the doorframe that led to a balcony just outside the room. He swung his saber down at Anakin's arm, intending to cut it off, when Amira's lightsaber blocked it, the girl having gotten off the table in time, quickly shooting her elbow up and knocking Dooku in the nose with it, sending him stumbling back onto the balcony as Anakin pushed himself up, the two of them resuming their dual-attack on the Count.

Dooku grit his teeth at them and held out his hand, summoning various objects off the walls, using the Force to hurl them at the duo, but they quickly cut through whatever came at them with their sabers, still coming at him. He looked over his shoulder, at the end of the balcony, to see there was either a pool of lava below him that he could try to knock one of them into, or a metal supply pipe running between the control center and towards another structure. He grinned at that and turned, jumping off the balcony and onto the pipe, moving backwards, clearly thinking this would be the best way to go, it would force him to face only one of them at a time as the pipe was too thin for them to stand side by side.

Anakin and Amira ran to the edge of the balcony, looking down, before glancing at each other, not even needing to speak to know what the other was thinking. Anakin nodded and stepped onto the balcony, concentrating as he used the Force to leap off it…and land behind Dooku on the pipe, causing the man to spin around and face him as Anakin grinned at him. But a moment later, Dooku froze, hearing a thump behind him as well. He turned slowly to see Amira had managed to jump down onto the pipe as well, now leaving him trapped in the middle of the two Jedi. Anakin would have laughed if the situation hadn't been so serious. He'd been better at manipulating the Force, so it made sense for him to take the bigger and farther leap, but Amira had improved on her Force Jumping, had managed to jump the straight path down from the balcony to the pipe.

Dooku grit his teeth, narrowing his eyes at them.

"Arrogance," Amira called, reminding the man of the very warning she'd given, "I did say arrogance."

He had assumed more about himself and less about them than he should have. He thought he'd be safer there, that he'd have an advantage, and now he'd lost both.

Dooku lashed out at that, spreading himself out between the two but not facing one or the other, straining himself to be able to continue to fight, but he was managing it, using the Force to keep knocking Anakin further and further back, allowing him to start make his way towards the end of the pipe, towards the structure that it was connected to at the end. He breathed only one sigh of relief when he reached it, reached the wider platform of the structure, giving him more room to maneuver as he faced the two Jedi once more. He didn't give them a moment to recover as he reached out and struck at that them, this time taking the offensive, pushing THEM back, fighting them and forcing them back alone the frame of the structure, towards a lava rig that was connected to the main structure. They'd only gotten half way when a mass of lava shot up in a bubble and covered the frame behind them, the sparks from it starting to burst into the air, raining down on them.

Anakin and Amira turned and ran, Anakin pulling her off to the side as Dooku gave chase but was forced to take cover on the other side of a beam, avoiding the lava spilling down. Anakin clutched Amira to him, both of them panting hard as they tried to catch their breath at the short reprieve they'd been given. The moment it seemed the lava had let up, they leapt around the beam and resumed their fight with Dooku, only managing a strike or two before the rig they were on began to shake and break apart from the main structure. They looked over, seeing that it was about to topple over into a pool of lava and raced back for the walkway they'd been on as the rig shifted in its fall, the base of it striking the lava below them, causing the walkway to shoot straight up, leaving them hanging from it, Dooku just below them as he too had run for the walkway.

They winced, trying to pull themselves up, trying to climb as the rig began to sink into the lava, needing to get to the top of it, to find a way off it, somewhere to go, something to do to keep them from falling to the same fate while also trying to block the swings that Dooku was sending up at them with his saber.

Amira let out a scream below him that had Anakin's heart stopping in his chest, turning to see that Dooku had managed to slice at her leg, not sever it, but there was a deep gash against it and, when Amira tried to block the next attack, Dooku managed to swing hard enough to knock her saber from her hand.

"Amira!" he shouted, reaching for her as the next swing from the Count had her twisting to avoid, twisting too much, so much that she lost her grip on the walkway and began to fall…right for the magma, just as she had in his vision, "NO!"

He grabbed onto the walkway with one hand, reaching out with the other for her, using all his might, all his concentration and focus to manipulate the Force, to pull her back towards him as she reached for him in her fall.

He didn't even realize he'd dropped his lightsaber to do so until Amira had been pulled back up to him, allowing him to grab her arm in his hold, leaving her dangling below him as he tried to pull her up, tried to get her close enough to the walkway to get a grip again, but the angle that he'd grabbed the walkway on, the position of his feet, how he was half leaning off the structure to hold her made it nearly impossible.

He froze when he heard a deep chuckle above him.

He let out a breath and turned, looking up at the top of the melted walkway. He was so near the top, so close to safety…and yet in his distraction to stop Amira falling, he hadn't seen Dooku pass him and reach the top. The man was standing there, panting, sweating, grinning at him as he looked down his nose at the two Jedi, his red lightsaber clutched tightly in his hand…and the two of them without theirs to defend themselves.

"I did warn you," Dooku mocked them, "Your love shall be your downfall."

Anakin almost didn't even feel the lightsaber in Dooku's hand slice through his forearm, cutting the rest of his hand as it clung to the walkway from his body. Without the grip, there was nothing he could do to stop himself and Amira falling back towards the magma, nothing he could do but look up at Dooku as the man laughed and watched them fall. He turned, not wanting that to be his last sight, and managed to pull Amira into his arms, holding her tightly to him as they fell, the magma getting closer and closer…

When a small, flat shuttle flew past, just under them, catching them on top of it and not a moment too soon.

They landed hard, both of them barely conscious from the pain and blood loss, not even sure if they were really safe or if they'd just constructed the image of the familiar Jedi shuttle in their minds to save themselves from the agony of burning to death. But they could hear Dooku screaming, his voice angry and hateful, and managed to look over towards the walkway.

Dooku was facing them, watching the shuttle that carried them, so intent in his focus that he didn't notice the lava had reached and edge, like a waterfall or a cliff, until it was too late, until the walkway had started to topple over it, taking Dooku with it down to the magma below.

Anakin let out a shuddered breath and turned his head, able to see Amira lying beside him, both of them pale, shaking, their eyes drooping as the events caught up to them, as the adrenaline wore off and the pain set in. He reached out his good hand and took hers, the last thing either of them saw or felt was the other, before their worlds went black…

~8~

They owed Neeva their lives.

That was the only thing Anakin could think as he sat at the base of the large waterfall in the Room of a Thousand Fountains in the Jedi Temple two weeks after the events of Mustafar.

He and Amira had woken in a Jedi shuttle to find that it had been Neeva that had flown to the planet after them once she had been confident that she'd heard from all the Jedi possible, once she was sure that Order 66 had run its course and the Clones were on their way to having the order revoked. Neeva had gone to Mustafar, intending to help them with the Separatists, but been contacted that they'd been dealt with. Still, she had sensed something wrong and continued on to the planet, and just in time too. She had seen them falling, had flown her shuttle just under them and rescued them from dying by fire. She had gotten them into the shuttle and begun to patch them up before flying them right back to the Temple for more medical attention, while having R2-D2 slave the other shuttle to hers, towing it back, having it follow her.

He couldn't remember much between waking in the shuttle and when he'd fully woken in the Temple's medical rooms, to see a droid fitting him with a robotic hand to use. It was more realistic than he was sure it would have been three years ago if Dooku had managed to cut off his limbs like he was sure the man had wanted to, but it was still clear that it was robotic in nature. He looked at it now, he'd taken to wearing a glove over it, not wanting to look at it.

He saw it as a failure on his part, as a lesson, as a reminder to be better next time, to not make the same mistakes that he'd made.

He would NOT count saving Amira's life as a mistake, but he knew that if he'd positioned himself differently he could have gotten her to safety and kept hold of his saber. Amira seemed more inclined to hold his robotic hand though, as though she were trying to prove to him that it wasn't as bad as he took it to be, as though she were telling him that she didn't care it was robotic, just that she was glad she could hold it, that he was still there and alive for her to hold. She'd said as much. But he couldn't help but think that this was just another reason to train harder. He was a Knight of the Order, yes, but he was also young. He was only in his early 20s, Dooku had decades of experience on him, and he never wanted to be in a position where he came that close to losing Amira or losing his own life. He felt like he hadn't really defeated Dooku, not in a saber battle, but it was encouragement enough to try harder next time he faced an enemy, to keep practicing and working hard and, one day, he would be that good.

She didn't count their duel on Mustafar as a failure though. Neeva had told them that she'd seen Dooku falling over the cliff, taken down to a pool of magma, that she was sure no one could have survived it, not even Dooku. But that wasn't a certainty. By the time she had made it around to where he'd fallen there was no body. She claimed it was because it had burned up, but Master Yoda had been hesitant to assume anything. Dooku was powerful, he'd been coursing with the Dark Side at the time, and anything was possible when it came to the man. He refused to believe that Dooku was dead, as did he, Obi-Wan, and Amira as well though Amira was hopeful that the man was gone for good.

Even though it wasn't a complete success in stopping Dooku, it HAD been a success in other ways. The Separatists had been apprehended, had been brought to trial and, it was decided, executed for their crimes against the Republic, the Senate, and the peace of the Galaxy.

And that wasn't even the end of it.

Senator Amidala had done exactly as she promised, had used the evidence Amira had given her from the transmission to out Palpatine right in the middle of the Senate. She had gotten him into a trap by just letting him talk. He'd called a meeting of the Senate and presented all his 'evidence' of the Jedi plot against him, had claimed at their attempt on his life was what had caused the drastic change in his appearance, before trying to wean the Senate into agreeing to a Galactic Empire. It had been then that the Seantor had spoken up, had risen with over 2,000 other Senators against the Chancellor, had displayed to ALL of them the transmission, outing the Chancellor as not just a liar but a traitor to the Republic.

It had been chaos after that, from what he'd been told. Master Yoda, Obi-Wan, and Windu had tried to arrest the Chancellor, even the Clones had seemed to want to step in and stop the man when the Senate began to cry to unseat him, to execute him for his crimes. The Chancellor had reacted in his anger, as was typical of a Sith, had revealed himself for what he was in pulling a red lightsaber and starting to fight the Jedi right then and there. The Senate had been evacuated by the Clones, leaving the three Jedi Masters to face off with Palpatine.

The Sith Lord had been defeated, had been apprehended and brought to custody, was to stand trial before the NEW (if temporary) Chancellor, Senator Amidala. But it appeared that there were still those loyal to the man and he'd been secreted out of the holding cell. He had disappeared in the night and not even the Jedi knew where he had gone. It had left the Republic in fear, had left the Senate crying for the new Chancellor to hold the power she now had, to ensure the Republic was safe…but she refused, her only wish was to return the Senate and the Republic to its rightful place as a democracy, having only used her power in one last act to do a purge of the Senate, to launch an investigation into every Senator, even the 2,000 who had supported her (upon their own insistence), to weed out those that had been loyal to the Chancellor in a bid to remove the corruption from the government.

Anakin shook his head, he couldn't believe it, he still woke at times thinking it was all a dream.

The Senate stood democratic again, a majority of the Jedi had survived Order 66 and were recovering, the Temple still remained, the Sith had been dealt a deadly blow, and those Sith that could cause trouble had been forced to flee to the darkest recesses of space, hopefully to never return.

And he had Amira.

He smiled at that, he had Amira. He still had the Council's permission to be with her, and the two had been near inseparable since then. She had injured her leg badly, had almost lost it had Neeva not been there to care for it when she had been. She walked with a faint limp still, the medical droids had warned she likely would always have it, but just like with her and his robotic hand, he didn't care so long as it meant she was still alive to limp with it.

"There you are."

His smile widened as he heard her voice behind him, having sensed her before she'd even spoken, and turned to look at her, "I needed a moment of peace," he explained.

There was so much to do, so much destruction and devastation and damage that the Chancellor's reign had done, it was almost like a never-ending list of tasks for the Jedi to see to. He and Amira had been given a reprieve from it, taking on the more localized tasks due to their injuries, but it did get tedious to deal with.

He held out a hand to her, holding it as she sat beside him, her legs out before her, an easier position for her to rest in than crossing her legs with her injury. It was healing well, but it still left twinges of pain at times, "How was your exam?"

She had gone for her last examination of her leg and herself from Mustafar, the Council wishing to make sure they were both well and, once they were fully recovered, would be assigned to take on more off-world missions to help the Republic.

Amira sighed, "I don't think I'll be leaving the Temple any time soon."

He frowned, "Has your leg worsened?"

Amira just laughed at that, "Look at you, Skywalkwer, worrying about my poor old leg."

"I love your legs," he shrugged easily, "I love all of you."

She smiled at that, "Did you ever, truly, think that we'd end up like this?" she asked him, genuinely curious, "That the Council would really let us be together one day? That we'd be here, the two of us, together?"

He let out a gentle breath, "I'd hoped they would," he nodded, "I wished for it. More than anything."

"Well it only took us three years," she nudged him.

"We _could_ have been together before then," he reminded her, even though he knew that they likely couldn't, he hadn't had the understanding of how he felt for her before they'd faced the Council, he hadn't had the insight to realize that he wouldn't fall to the Dark, that she kept him to the Light, till then.

"I don't think the Council would have agreed," she remarked.

"Master Yoda might have," Anakin mused. He had spoken to the green alien a short while ago, when he had been just lost in thought, wondering what it was that had made the Master consider the possibility of allowing them to be together. He knew that Yoda had been the one to call the Council to discuss them and he'd been curious what had made him consider it.

The answer had shocked him. Yoda had been aware of how close he'd come to the Dark Side years ago, with the Tusken Raiders and his mother. The Master had sensed the pull to it, the anger and hatred that had risen in him for seeing his mother in such a state. But he'd also sensed how Amira had pulled him back, made him stop, gotten through to him. He had felt a shift in the Force then, had described it now that he understood more that it was almost as if the Force had been guiding them together, had been approving of their bond. It had taken him a while to understand the Force's intention for the two, but talking to him about how he loved Amira and how he feared he'd fall to the Dark without her had enlightened him. It had, it seemed to him, made the Master cautiously curious of whether the Force would allow for something like that to happen again. Their way of life and dedication to the Force had been build on the Code, but their relationship went against the Code…yet the Force had essentially smiled on it.

It had left Master Yoda contemplating what it could mean, if, perhaps, they should reexamine the Code. The Master had even asked him HIS thoughts on it, having been raised outside the Code for so long and having a new perspective on it. He had declined to answer though, the Code was sacred to the Jedi and it had worked for them for many years, had kept many more Jedi than himself safe and content. He was not like other Jedi, he accepted that, but all the other Jedi that had been raised the same way for so many years, they were all very much honoring the Code. He suggested, perhaps, instead of changing the age-old Code, being more open to exceptions to it. To make it so that there was less a fear of banishment or punishment for breaking certain aspects of it, but making it clear that it was not going to be an exception for everyone. Amira had been so terrified of breaking the Code, had felt like a failure and feared banishment for it, when it had ended up being something beneficial to the Order. He would not tell the Council how to guide their Jedi, but he did suggest being more open when small exceptions to the Code might arise, to consider it on an individual case instead of keeping everyone to one single punishment when many cases were always different.

Amira hummed, "It will be a story," she murmured, "How two Jedi, one stubborn and the other persistent, so much so that it took them three years before they could finally be together."

Anakin smiled at the thought, "A story for our children, one day."

"One day," she agreed, "…or in nine months."

Anakin nodded absently at that, when her words caught up to him, "What?!"

Amira just laughed, "I DID just tell you I wouldn't be leaving the Temple for a while," she nudged him.

Anakin blinked at her, stunned, "You're…" he shook his head, "But we only…" he flushed at the thought of what they'd done just after he'd tricked Palpatine, after they'd been given the permission of the Council to be together.

"Two weeks," she started to smile, tears prickling in the corner of her eyes, "Seems you're not just strong in the Force, Skywalker."

Anakin let out a breath at that and looked down at her stomach, reaching out a hand to place it on, his human hand, wanting to feel it, wanting to sense it himself…and there it was, the smallest of sparks of life right under his hand, his child, _their_ child, "I…" he shook his head, not sure what to say at that, before he looked up at her, "I love you," he breathed, staring into her eyes, "I love you so much."

She beamed, leaning in to kiss him as well, "I love you too, and I love our child," she put her hand over his.

Anakin started to laugh, grinning widely as he moved to kiss her again and again, half falling back with her as he held her, laughing and smiling, unable to believe the Force would bless them that way.

Amira though, she could very much believe it.

Anakin was everything the Council had hoped he would be and so much more, in her opinion. The Chosen One, the one they hoped would destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force, allowing the light to shine on the Galaxy.

But she knew, as there always was with balance, where there was light, there was also Dark. The Dark Side of the Force would always be there, the Sith lurking in the shadows, but right now…right now there was hope and light and happiness and love.

And, no matter what happened, no matter what the future held, so long as that remained strong, the Dark Side would never prevail.

The End

A/N: I cannot believe the series is over! I have this listed as 'The End' instead of my typical 'To be continued...in...' because I'm genuinely not sure if I'll be continuing into Episode 4-6 or not at the moment. A lot has changed for Anakin and Amira and the Galaxy around them. The Jedi are more plentiful without Order 66 succeeding, the Temple is still there, Palpatine's been forced to retreat, it's still the Republic instead of the Empire, Padme is alive as is Windu, Amira likely doesn't carry a twin-gene the way Padme did (scientifically, I think it's been researched that the woman carries the twin-gene over the man), and she's only JUST found out she's pregnant (to sort of tie to a hint of Luke and Leia, a continuation and 'child' being present if the story continued). The Dark Side had been severely beaten down though they're _not_ quite defeated yet.

It _could_ make for a possible, very AU version of 4-6, I feel like I could work something out of the Sith trying to take back the power they almost had from the shadows (after all, worse than having power and wanting to keep it is having it and losing it and wanting it back right?). Palpatine is still alive, Dooku might be as well }:) We can assume they still have the plans for the Death Star, and they've already proven they can hide entire planets and systems from the Jedi in the past, they could likely hide creating it in the future. And with the Jedi still around, it would be easier to find other Jedi, perhaps try to raise an army/order of their own right from infancy, completely loyal to the Dark that could create an interesting army/enemy in Episodes 4-6...hmm...

I'm really not sure though, there'd be a lot to work out for it to happen, so I don't want to make any promises till I am sure :)

I hope it wasn't too much of a let down that Anakin and Amira were unable to truly 'defeat' Dooku in a saber duel. I feel like Anakin was more evenly matched with Obi-Wan, Obi-Wan only having a few more years experience than Anakin did. Here Dooku had _decades_ more experience and time to practice and if he was able to defeat twice, then Dooku would be able to hold his own against two relatively new Knights. They still did win, but I didn't think it would be realistic for them to suddenly be able to defeat Dooku like that, not when he was angry and out for blood. Dooku still was stopped, but I wanted it to also be a reminder that they are still relatively inexperienced and will still need to work on their skills in the future and to be a small reminder that their Masters will always have their back and be looking out for them, even if they're not Padawans any more :)

I just want to take a minute to say thank you again, to all of you that read/reviewed/favorited/followed anything the story. It really makes me SO happy to know that you've enjoyed my little rendition of Episodes II and III. I really am so glad that you've liked the stories :')

Also, tiny line from Doctor Who in here, virtual cookies to those who spot it ;)

Some notes on reviews...

C-3PO is at the Temple, he was helping Neeva with the communications and, I like to think, helping watch the Younglings :)

Amira came close, but she's ok ;) They semi-prevailed against Dooku. He was stopped, in the end, but by his own arrogance, though they held him back for quite a while :) But yup, Neeva to the rescue! :)

Oh I got the reference ;) I'm slightly obsessed with Dracula, I've got his movie in my collection ;)

Lol, I'm glad the chapter worried you ^-^

Yup, Anakin and Amira had a very intimate, private moment that two people in love do behind closed doors and, usually, when there's a bed available ;) And now they've got a little surprise from it :)


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